We Think You Have A Girl Friend
by purpleblue
Summary: Prequel to SOPHIA. It's about something i thought would be funny if it happened between Jon and Alanna.It's a AJ fic
1. Default Chapter

We Think You Have A Girlfriend  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that belongs to TP I just came up with this.  
  
I'll give this a rating of 12 for language and other stuff.  
  
I'm hopeless with summaries cause it would give away too much but I can say that it's A/J cause it's set before Alanna's 18th birthday. I'm a G/A fan after TWWRLAM but before that A/J.  
  
***  
  
"We think you have a girlfriend," Gary told Jon. They were in Gary's room. They were Jon, Gary, Raoul, Alanna and Faithful one afternoon when none of them had anything to do. Corus was having a summer shower.  
  
"All three of you?" Jon asked them with amusement showing in his voice.  
  
"No just Raoul and me. We don't know about Alan," Gary said looking over at Alanna. She was petting Faithful pretending not to hear what they were saying with a small smile trying not to laugh.  
  
This should be funny in the long run, the cat told Jon and Alanna purring with her petting him. They both laughed. Then with the looks they were getting Alanna said "Just something the cat said. You know talking, magic cat," Alanna said trailing off. She quickly turned back to petting Faithful.  
  
"So do you have a girlfriend?" Raoul asked.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Jon asked trying not to laugh.  
  
"Well you seem to of gone of Delia for some reason, you seem preoccupied, you're nicer to Alan at balls and parties by not making him dance or talk to people he doesn't want to, you seem to go off almost every eligible lady at court after one dance and you don't dance with many of them anymore, you're not trying to woo any of them and well you seem happy. You aren't really this happy if you're single are you?" Gary told his cousin.  
  
"We thought you wanted to have as much fun as you can before you get married," Raoul said. Alanna gave up with trying to smother her laughter and just laughed slightly bent over holding her stomach with so much laughing.  
  
"I do. I'm just happy," Jon told them. Looking at Alanna after he said that. She was wiping tears from her eyes before she caught his eye and held it for a moment before laughing again. Jon smiled and looked away again.  
  
"So do you have a girlfriend?" Gary asked impatiently.  
  
"My lips are sealed," Jon said smiling.  
  
"He does. So what's her name?" Raoul asked. Jon shook his head still smiling. "What she look like then?" Gary asked.  
  
"Gorgeous. You happy now?" Jon demanded. Alanna made a very un-lady like noise and laughed. By now she was very red from laughing and blushing.  
  
"What she is," Jon told them.  
  
"You know who she is don't you?" Raoul asked. Gary and him got up and centred on Alanna moving towards her like cornering something. Alanna looked up and saw them coming towards her. She stopped laughing and her face fell.  
  
"Shit," was the first word that came to Alanna's head and mouth. Alanna looked around for an escape, she couldn't find one. She looked at Jon with a look that said help me now. He shook his head laughing now himself since they had moved off him now. She glared at him.  
  
"You know who she is don't you? Come on tell your good old friends Gary and Raoul," Gary said with a false smile on his face. Just then the bell that sounded the hour went.  
  
"Oh, look at that we have to go," Alanna said jumping up and edging her way past Gary and Raoul to Jon. Jon got up and followed Alanna out the door.  
  
  
  
"We'll surprise them. He's been going out for her for ages. We noticed ages ago that something was up with him. She'll probably be there. You ready?" Gary asked Raoul. He nodded. Gary tried the door it was locked. He got out his lock picks, which he had got from George. He unlocked the door and signalled to Raoul that he was going to open it. They opened the door to Jon's rooms and went in. Jon's room was on the right and Alan's was on the right. They went to the bedroom door and quietly tried it. It was the dawn hour before the first bell had gone. Jon's bedroom door was open. They opened the door and nothing could of prepared them for what they saw.  
  
Gary let out a cry and Raoul just gaped with his mouth open.  
  
  
  
Jon's bed was in the left hand corner on the outside wall on the door's right. Jon was asleep on his back with Alanna sleeping on her front in the crook of his right arm with her head resting on the top of his chest.  
  
Alanna woke up and raised her head to look at Jon to see if he was awake. He was. He smiled at her. "Good morning," she said and kissed him on the lips. She put her head back down on his chest and looked around the room. Her eyes went to the window with the summer light streaming into the room. They then moved round the rest of the room from the desk on her right and the round to the door.  
  
She let out a shriek. The sheet was at the small of her back since Corus was having a heat wave this summer. She grabbed the part of the sheet on the right side of her covering Jon and pulled it up to cover her front better and rolled onto her back and then sat up. She had a look of horror on her face backing up against the wall.  
  
"What?" Jon asked pulling himself up onto his elbows looking at her. When she didn't give an answer he looked to where she was looking and his response was to say," Oh, shit," and fall back onto his back.  
  
It'll probably take a while to get more parts up because I'm busy with school, and I want to see how many reviews I get. I wrote two other parts but I'm still trying to decide if I like them so I'll probably change them a lot.  
  
Please review, this is the first fan fic I've published, I'm usually a silent fan and just read everybody else's.  
  
1 Lady Coldbook 


	2. explain

"I need a seat and a drink," Raoul said quietly sitting down on a chair at the table at the other end of the room. Faithful came into the room and jumped onto the bed and in front of Alanna. Told you it'd turn out funny in the long run Faithful said smugly rubbing himself against Alanna's arm. Alanna glared at the cat, while patting him. Jon was watching Gary he had started pacing. Gary stopped pacing and looked at Jon. "You're sleeping with a guy! You of all people to do that, both of you! You're sleeping with Alan," Gary almost shouted. "I wouldn't put it like that," Jon said trying not to laugh. "If you wouldn't put it like that then how would you put it?" Gary demanded. Jon started laughing at this. Meanwhile.  
  
Raoul was sitting at the table shocked. He had never expected to find that Jon's girlfriend was actually a guy, and Alan. He looked over at Alan. He was patting Faithful and whispered to the cat " You were right it is funny." She looked over at Gary and turned back to the cat biting his lip to stop himself from laughing. He looked up at Raoul and caught his eyes. Alan looked down at Faithful and carried on petting him laughing softly. Raoul followed his eyes down to Faithful then quickly went back up. Raoul's eyebrows shot up and he moved back in the chair. "What the?" Raoul asked. Alanna looked up at him. She saw where his eyes where and looked down. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest. "You aren't supposed to stay looking there once you noticed," she said sharply. "It took one of you awhile to notice that though," she said thoughtfully. He looked over at Gary who had just asked Jon how he would put it while Jon was laughing hysterically. "Gary? Gary? Gary!" Raoul said loudly the last time. ""What?" Gary asked impatiently looking at Raoul. "That isn't Alan," Raoul pointed out. "I know what Alan looks like. If it isn't Alan then who is it?" Gary asked him. Jon laughed even more. "Alanna," she said. They all looked at her. Jon reached over for a pair of breeches and put them on as the attention was all on her. Once he had some breeches on he picked up a shirt and threw it to Alanna. She smiled a thank-you and put on the shirt. They were still looking at her. "You look and sound really like Alan," Gary told her. Jon and Alanna laughed they were both bent over laughing clutching their sides. Jon finally managed to say something, "That's because she is Alan." "You just said she was Alanna. What are you on about?" Gary demanded. "I'll explain it to the two of you in a minute once you know go out while I get changed," She told them edging to the edge of the bed and standing up. "He he, I have a big skirt. Now can you know, get out while I get dressed 'cause I'm not going to do that in front of you two. Take the cat to, he'd probably start making comments so take him." Jon picked up a shirt and followed Gary, Raoul and Faithful out while putting on his shirt. He smiled at her and closed the door behind him. When Jon came out Raoul and Gary were waiting for him. "Explain," Gary demanded. "Don't you think we should wait for her?" the looks Jon got he took it as a no and carried on, "Well her father was sending her to the convent and her twin Thom here. Alanna wanted to be a knight, Thom a mage. They swapped places. Alanna came as Alan and Thom went as Thom to the City of the Gods. Alanna just changed her name and said she was a boy. She isn't that different she just wears dresses as well." "And likes guys," Raoul put in. "That would be another difference," Jon said. They all smiled at that. "You obviously know that," Gary said with raised eyebrows. Raoul made a laughing noise behind his hand. Jon glared at him. He looked away. Jon banged on the door and shouted "Hurry up!" The muffled reply he got was, "I'm coming." The door was thrown open and Alanna came out and snapped " Are you all happy now?" "Looks like someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning," Raoul remarked to the air. Raoul and Gary collapsed laughing. Alanna and Jon just glared. "Sorry. Couldn't resist," Raoul told them. Alanna walked over to him with a look on her face as though she was going to hit him. Raoul leaned back. "Remember I know all the things Alan does and can hurt someone just the same. So careful what you say," she said this then turned back towards Jon and walked back over to him. "You still act like a guy. Like you walk like one," Gary pointed out. Alanna whirled round at those words and glared the most evil glare she could. Jon mouthed she's going to kill you to Gary and added the cutthroat action. "I've been walking like this most of my life, I'm in these clothes so I'm Alan, who is supposed to be a guy, I only walk like a girl when I'm wearing a dress and do you know how hard it is to walk like that when you're walking like a guy most of the time? Did you not hear what I told Raoul? Don't worry I'm not going to kill you like Jon seems to think and say," she told them angrily. "How'd you know?" Jon asked. "The cat told me," Alanna said going back to stand next to Jon. "Traitor," Jon said to the cat who's response was just to lick his paws. "That's why you never went swimming," Gary said slightly dumbstruck. "Yeah. You know that's what Jon said when he found out as well?" Alanna said. "Really? You just told him cause he was going to be your knight master," Gary said. The bell went telling people to get up. "I wish. He found out before he asked me. I've got to go I'm meeting Myles. Jon'll fill you in on who knows and like when you can say she and he and stuff like that, and don't any of you dare tell George how you found out or I will hurt you," she said threateningly before carrying on saying. "I'll see you all at lunch," she said cheerfully. "So how'd you find out?" Raoul asked interested after she had gone. "Funny story really. Not so at the time though. You remember when we went to the Black City? The Ysandir came out and tried to kill us. They were taunting us and trying to find out stuff about us. They managed to read our minds because we didn't know that they could. So they read her mind," Jon said stopping because he started laughing. "Anyway," Jon continued, "One of them got into her head and then after she came round cause she had collapsed, the Ysandir collapsed. When she came round she went 'See your companion for what she really is'" Jon stopped and laughed even harder this time. From the looks Gary and Raoul were giving him he said, " If you were there you'd be laughing your heads off right now as well. So after that was said all of a sudden Alanna's only wearing her belt and scabbard." They all laughed. 


	3. The Start Of The Joke

The Start of the Joke  
  
I don't own any of the things that TP has come up with. If I did then I would be richer and it would be worth it to sue me.  
  
AN: thanks for all the reviews up to 35 now. I'm well chuffed. I'm aiming for 50 this time. (Looks doubtful). Due to popular demand I've been ordered to keep this to an A/J fic.  
  
Alanna and Jon are in his main sitting at the table there laughing hysterically. On the table there are six knocked over bottles on the table and one standing up.  
  
"Did he really do that?" Alanna asked in between laughs.  
  
"Yep, you should of seen Aunt Mairi. She has never been that angry with Gary and me before. The two of us ended up having to help muck out the stables for the rest of the summer," he said laughing. "We smelt of manure the whole summer."  
  
"We have to get up early in the morning we better get to bed. We are so going to be ill tomorrow," Alanna said still giggling.  
  
"Come on. One more drink won't make much difference now, will it?" he asked pouring himself and Alanna each another drink out of the standing bottle finishing it off.  
  
"Alright, alright. After this we go to bed. Think how much trouble we'll get in when we turn up at the council meeting with a hang over," she said quickly drowning her glass. Jon laughed and did the same.  
  
"Are you coming?" she said smiling suggestively. He smiled back at her. Alanna got up and fell onto the ground. Jon put out his arm to stop her from falling and fell of his chair himself.  
  
Jon fell on top of her. "Ouch," she said and hit him on the arm. Jon started laughing, Alanna grinned and started laughing with him.  
  
"You lost the bet," he said softly.  
  
"How?" she asked.  
  
"You fell over first, and I only fell over to stop you," he said.  
  
"That doesn't mean I can't handle my drink."  
  
"It does because you fell over because you stood up. So you know have to do something," he told her smugly.  
  
"What?" she asked curiously and warily.  
  
"You have to go to the next ball with no complaints," he asked smiling since she couldn't see his face the way they were on the floor.  
  
"Fine," she said. If she were sober or just a lot more sober than she was now she would have been suspicious of what he said.  
  
"Wearing a dress, face paint and all. That means dancing and everything. No flirting though!" he told her sternly at the end.  
  
"What!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I knew you'd like that one. The conditions are that you have to get someone to dance with you for every dance in that hour and I get the first and last dance. If you can do that then I'll get you a present and it's a bet so you have to do it. You can't tell Gary or Raoul any of this I want to see their faces."  
  
When Alanna didn't say anything he looked at her face and saw she was asleep. He put his head back onto the rug and closed his eyes.  
  
The next thing that he was aware of was a splitting headache, the desire to be sick, being cold and someone was shaking him making the head even worse.  
  
"What?" he mumbled groggily.  
  
"I can't get up, you're on my legs and we are due in the council meeting in fifteen minutes," Alanna replied, her voice equally groggy. Jon moved over slightly so she could get up. Neither of them moved.  
  
"Ok, ok. If you get clothes out I'll make a draught. That should take ten minutes fully with leaving it on the fire. You should be able to get us clean cloths out in between us being sick. We won't be able to wash much though. I think I'm going to be sick," she said quietly before getting up and running to the privy.  
  
"Don't get up so fast," he mumbled before getting up and joining her being sick in the privy.  
  
Jon walked through the door first into the council room with Alanna behind him. Jon squinted at the bright light in the room from the window. Alanna did the same when she came in.  
  
"Sorry, we're late," Jon, told the room. Alanna and Jon both bowed to the King. King Roald glared at his son and his squire. It was clear to every one in the room that both of them had very bad hangovers.  
  
Over an hour later  
  
Alanna kicked Jonathan in the shin. He woke up with a start. He sat up properly in his chair; he had slipped down in it as he slept. He wiped his mouth and looked around him nervously hoping that no one else had noticed. He was wrong. Everyone in the room was looking at him. Most were trying to hide their smiles.  
  
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" he asked politely. Alanna made a sound that sounded like a contained laugh. Jon glared at her but she had turned her head.  
  
At the end of the meeting  
  
"Jonathan wait behind," King Roald told him after he had adjourned the meeting.  
  
"Yes, father," Jon said then bowed. He turned to Alanna and made a face. Alanna made up to leave with everybody else.  
  
"Alan, you may stay," the King told her. She bowed to him and sat back down.  
  
Roald waited until everybody else had left. "Jonathan you and your squire both turned up at a council meeting drunk," he said irritated. Alanna blushed and looked down.  
  
"We weren't drunk," he told his father calmly. Roald raised his eyebrows. "We didn't turn up drunk. We might have been earlier on but we aren't drunk," Jonathan carried on.  
  
Later that day  
  
"I here you two have very big hangovers?" Gary asked grinning wickedly.  
  
"Stop speaking so loudly," Alanna told him sitting down on the stand overlooking the practise courts. She put her head in one hand. Jon came and lay down on the bench next to her.  
  
"You not been taking the hang over cure today?" Raoul asked.  
  
"No, we have. We've been taking it all morning. We drunk between us seven bottles of Courtla," Jon stated. Raoul and Gary winced in sympathy. Courtla was a cross between vodka and cider. But was stronger than wine but not quite as strong as a spirit.  
  
"Just think you've still got afternoon lessons left," Gary said smiling.  
  
"Do I don't I have to accompany my lord prince down to the city on an errand," she said mock seriously.  
  
"We've decided to go and hide down at the Dove. Want to come with us?" Jon asked.  
  
It's too long to put in one fic so the next part of this will be up very soon. 


	4. The Plotting

It was dark outside the walls of the room. Jon was reminding Alanna about the bet and the conditions.  
  
"If I'm supposed to go to the ball I can't go as Alanna of Trebond and I'm going to have to go as someone related to Squire Alan," she pointed out.  
  
"We could say you're Alan's cousin. What about Lanna of Trebond?" he asked.  
  
"It can't be Trebond because I get the eyes from my mother's side," she said.  
  
"What fief was your mother from?" he asked thinking.  
  
"Heldon," she told him.  
  
"None of them come to court do they?" he asked.  
  
"No, there's only my great uncle and he doesn't come because he isn't well enough to travel and my aunt who married a Gallan so she lives there. We could say I was her daughter and my aunt sent me to her uncle for a while, while they travelled around, which has been a few years which is how I've lost the accent and I'm here to see Alan but he's on an errand for you and is getting to miss the party," she said.  
  
"Let's go along with that Lanna of? We can't use Heldon because you're supposed to be your aunt's daughter," he pointed out.  
  
"Her name's Juvat now. So it is now Lanna of Juvat. There aren't any Gallans at court are there?" she asked.  
  
"No, I don't think so," he replied thoughtfully.  
  
"Good, Good. Now you are going to help me with my dancing if you want me to actually pull this off," she said standing up and grabbing Jon's hand.  
  
"There isn't any music," he said.  
  
"So. Who needs music? I just have to be able not to step on anyone's feet. I'm supposed to be able to dance perfectly. So dance!" she ordered him.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Sorry," she said apologetically.  
  
After about an hour the two of sat down.  
  
"You're getting better. You didn't step on my foot once in the last one. We should go to bed now we don't want to be late again otherwise we will get in more trouble," Jon said helping her up.  
  
"What trouble did you get in? I got into trouble from Duke Gareth about missing afternoon lessons and I told him I was on an errand with you and he didn't believe me. He knew I was with you though but he knew the real reason I wasn't there so I got told if it happens again then I'll get punishment duties in the way of extra class work," she said slightly angry. Jon laughed.  
  
"Poor, poor Lanna. Want me to tell Uncle that you really were running an errand for me?" he asked with mock sympathy. She hit him on the arm and went to bed.  
  
The day of the ball  
  
"The ball starts at nine so do you want to come at ten thirty?" Jon asked her. She nodded. "You only have to stay an hour."  
  
Alanna snuck into the ball that night though one of the side doors at 10:30. She was wearing a pale lavender dress trimmed in silver with amethysts on the hems. Jonathan had bought it for her. She was also wearing her black wig that she had spelled so it would stay in place and not fall off. After she had spelled it she had put half of her hair up in a bun with the rest hanging down and had covered the bun with a silver coloured net that had amethysts and crystals sowed into it.  
  
She scanned the room and found Jon, Gary and Raoul in a group near one of the balconies on the other side of the room. Which meant that she was going to have to walk across the room. She took the easy option and went around the edge.  
  
Jon spotted her when she was half way there. He excused himself from the young court ladies and knights and met her.  
  
Gary looked over to where Jon had gone with no explanation and saw a young woman who he had never met before.  
  
"Raoul. Who's that that Jon's talking to?" he asked. Raoul turned round and saw whom Jon was talking to.  
  
"I've never seen her before. Whoever she is she's pretty. No wonder he went over to her," Raoul remarked to him. They were both looking at Jon and Alanna. By now everybody else in their group was to.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
"There you are. You look beautiful," Jon told her smiling.  
  
"Thank you," she said curtsying.  
  
"Come on I'll take you over," he told her.  
  
"They're all staring at us," she said with a glance at the group. Jon turned round and looked at the group and saw that they were. He offered her his arm and she took it.  
  
"So where did you say I was?" she asked him.  
  
"I said that your relative in the city had requested that you go and see them and I, being the nice man that I am let you go," he said smiling at her. She laughed.  
  
The reached the group and Jonathan introduced her to everyone.  
  
"This is Lady Lanna of Juvat. Alan's cousin," Jon said. The knights all bowed and the other ladies glared at her.  
  
"This is Gareth of Naxen, the younger or Gary, Raoul of Golden Lake, Alexander of Tirragen or Alex," Jon said, there were in total about 20 people there not including Jon and her which he reintroduced her to since she already knew them all.  
  
Jonathan asked her for the first dance before everybody else could.  
  
"This is quite fun," she told him as they danced.  
  
"Remember you have a whole hour left to get young men to dance with you," he said smugly to her.  
  
"Oh, yes. That is going to be quite fun. Are you going to get jealous?" she asked him smiling.  
  
"Why would I get jealous?" he asked coolly.  
  
"Just think, me and all those handsome young men and me dancing with them. Remember they think I'm single and I'm not allowed to tell Gary or Raoul that it's me am I?" She said wickedly.  
  
"There's something familier about her," Gary said puzzled to Raoul. Meaning Lanna.  
  
"Apart from the fact that she looks like a version of Alan except with black hair," Raoul pointed out.  
  
"That isn't her real hair colour," Gary whispered to Raoul. "She has fair eyebrows not dark ones." They looked at each other.  
  
"You don't think?" they both said looking at Alanna dance with Jon.  
  
"They might. Remember they've been secretive since they got drunk," Raoul told him.  
  
"We could string them along aswell," Gary said. So that's what they did.  
  
I don't know how long it will take to get other parts up due to the fact that I'm having troubles uploading. 


	5. The ball

Chapter5  
  
I got 50 reviews!!! I am really happy. I haven't added another part in awhile because I haven't really got round to writing one and I'm beginning to get writers block so it's going to probably become quite frivolous towards the end. But I think I might join it to my other fic as sort of a sequel for it.  
  
"Lady Lanna, may I have the next dance," Gary said bowing over Alanna's hand.  
  
"I would be delighted to Sir Gareth," she said smiling politely at him.  
  
Jon came and sat down beside Raoul. Raoul smiled at him with raised brows. "She's a pretty thing," Raoul remarked. Jon got the message underneath what Raoul said.  
  
"I wouldn't cheat on her. I swear I wouldn't or won't," he told him.  
  
"She's my friend as well. I don't want to see her upset because of something you did. Everything would be horrible," Raoul told him.  
  
"Me too," Jon said quietly. Jon got up and asked one of the other ladies to dance. He led the other woman onto the dance floor.  
  
What either of them didn't realise was that Delia of Eldorne had over heard what was being said. She stored that information to remember to tell Roger later that Jonathan was serious about someone that Raoul also knew. Delia wasn't the only lady to overhear.  
  
"You are a very good dancer Sir Gareth," Alanna remarked.  
  
"Just Gary please, Lady Lanna and thank you," he said smiling after catching Jon looking at them.  
  
"Then Gary you must call me A- just Lanna please Gary," she said smiling hoping that he didn't notice her slip up. Gary pretended that he didn't notice but her slip up confirmed his suspicions that Lady Lanna was really Squire Alan.  
  
"It has been a pleasure dancing with you Gary. I would very much like to again," she said curtsying to him after the dance ended. Gary bowed and walked her back to the group. He nodded to Raoul and smiled when Raoul mouthed is it?  
  
She was asked up to dance by several others in their group of friends. She was asked to dance after about forty-five minutes with Raoul. All the men present in their group had flirted with her. She was quite proud of her self. She had caught Jon with jealous looks on his face at the men she flirted with and when he caught her catching him she smiled smugly at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. She laughed. She was speaking to Gary at the time he frowned in confusion at her outburst.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said apologetically before leaning closer to him. "The Prince is making faces at you." Gary turned round to look at Jonathan and he quickly turned away to speak to somebody.  
  
The men were all preoccupied with Alanna, which made her; receive plenty of glares from the other young court ladies.  
  
"Who does she think she is? She just swarms in here and they all run to her. Don't they realise there are other woman here," one woman fumed.  
  
"The Prince seems taken with her. Don't you see the looks they're giving each other? He's glaring at all the others who speak to her," another said trying to get a look at Alanna over a lady's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, he doesn't. I don't think he does any way. I overheard Raoul and him speaking and it seems that his affections are with another woman. Raoul said, "She was a pretty thing."  
  
And then the prince said, "I wouldn't cheat on her. I swear I wouldn't or won't."  
  
Then Raoul said, "She's my friend as well. I don't want to see her upset because of something you did. Everything would be horrible."  
  
So I think he has a woman. I don't think it's any of us though. It isn't is it?" one of the ladies who overheard said.  
  
One of the ladies looked around her trying to see if Delia was in the area. She wasn't, so said, "He went off Delia soon enough didn't he. All of a sudden he went off her and she is still fuming over it. No one knew why did they? Raoul knows so Gary probably does as well we could try and get it out of them both now couldn't we?" The women all laughed.  
  
"We'll have to get a lot of drink down them," one said slyly. She called a server over and asked for two drinks for her. She got up and went over to Gary as she saw Alanna being led of by Raoul. Another woman got drinks for the Prince and her and went over to him.  
  
"Are you enjoying the ball, Lady Lanna?" Raoul asked her while he danced a waltz with her.  
  
"Very much so, Sir Raoul. Are you?" she asked wondering if he will lie or tell the truth.  
  
"Not really. I hate the things. But you have made it considerably more desirable. Please call me Raoul," he said while she laughed.  
  
"Thank you and you must call me Lanna," she told him.  
  
"You look a lot like Alan. I can see her in you. You are like her in more than just looks. I have to remind myself that you're not her, but it isn't that hard you are wearing a dress for one," he pointed out.  
  
"I am? I hadn't noticed that," she said. He laughed.  
  
Alanna continued dancing for 3 more dances before Jon got her up to dance.  
  
"You survived then?" he asked.  
  
"Just," she said laughing.  
  
"Come on admit it you've had fun. Admit it," he said when she looked down. He looked down at her.  
  
"Yeah, alright I've had fun. I did what you said to do so I'm going to go and sit down after this. No more dances," she said resolutely.  
  
"Even me?"  
  
"Well maybe an exception," she smiled. "I'm going in half an hour. I'll try and find out what the ladies think of the three of you and me. The me one might not work since I am supposed to be Alan's cousin."  
  
"Who cares about the other two just find out what they think of me."  
  
"I already know what they'll say. He's egotistical, smug, arrogant and is in love with himself far to much," she said playfully.  
  
"Hey," he objected. She smiled.  
  
"But he's gorgeous, you can't forget that. He can be sweet, caring, very gentlemanly, and let's not forget," she said leaning closer to him so she can whisper in his ear. "Good in bed."  
  
"Glad you didn't forget that one," he said grinning.  
  
"And I just proved my point, very egotistical," she said as the dance ended. She curtsied and left the dance floor with him coming up beside her. She was smiling.  
  
"You are you whatever you look like with that spirit that I fell for," he said into her ear.  
  
"That's good to know I think. Even when I'm dressed as a boy?" she said raising her eyebrows at him. He knew that that was a trick question when she did that. Think carefully Jon he told himself.  
  
"Yea-,"he paused. "When I think of you as Lanna yes, Alan, boy Alan a big no-no." She laughed.  
  
"Perfect answer. Now are you going to go get me a drink?" she mock demanded. He mock bowed and left to go get her a drink.  
  
She sat down next to one of the young ladies who were talking earlier called Dafeenie. "Lady Dafeenie was it?" She asked politely.  
  
She nodded, "You of course are Lady Lanna, Squire Alan's cousin, the envy of most of the women here," she smiled kindly. Alanna blushed.  
  
"Sadly," Alanna shuddered. When Dafeenie looked at her curiously Alanna replied, "I'm already taken." At that moment Jonathan came back holding two cups. He gave one to Alanna and offered the other to Dafeenie, she declined saying she already had one.  
  
"We'll leave in half an hour is that ok? Alan will kill me if I don't get you back to your rooms. He won't speak to me for at least a day," he said jokingly.  
  
"Ah forgive him his temper gets the better of him he can' help it," she said sticking up for herself. The three of them spoke for a few more minutes before he left.  
  
"He's taken to you, you know?" Dafeenie pointed out shrewdly.  
  
"He's already taken, and so am I," she defended.  
  
"That's what I've heard also, but the mystery is who," Dafeenie told her conspicuously. They continued talking until Jon came and led her away. She learned what the women all thought of herself, Jon, Gary and Raoul.  
  
When they got to Jon's room they checked to see if anybody will see him going into his rooms the coast was clear and they went in. Alanna turned and closed and locked the door.  
  
When she turned round she was gently pushed against the door and kissed very passionately, she raised her arms and put them round his neck. After quite a few minutes he whispered hotly, "I have been wanting to do that all night."  
  
"Oh really, well you aren't the only one," She told him pulling his head down to kiss her. He started to undo the back of her dress. She pulled away from him and said, "So mote it be." She ended the spell which held the wig in place and through it to her right. She pulled his head back down to hers and carried on kissing him. He guided her to his bedroom. She shrugged out of the dress and picked it up with on hand and threw it onto a chair all the while they were still kissing. She pulled his tunic off and pushed him onto his bed. And that was how they spent the night.  
  
I'm going to end it here because it's 1:30am, it's at a place where I can stop it, it's already 3 pages and I should stop it where it's going. I'm not finished with what's happening that night but I have with Alanna and Jon. I should get the next part up this week sometime. Depends on how much homework I get. 


	6. Roger

Chapter6  
  
I didn't get any homework this week due to the fact that I was so ill with a cold I could barely get out of bed. I'm actually doing maths work as I'm doing this. It also explains why I'm starting this on Thursday. Believe it or not I don't really half a plot. Ha ha. So I'm just going to stumble along with this until I get fed up of it or can't be bothered anymore.  
  
"Roger, who is that lady dancing with Jonathan?" King Roald asked leaning to the side of his throne at the head of the room to speak to his nephew.  
  
"I haven't seen her before Uncle. I will go and find out for you though," Roger got up and went over to Delia to ask who the woman was.  
  
He came back and sat down next to his uncle again. "Her name is Lanna of Juvat. She is Squire Alan's cousin from Galla, I believe she is only staying in Corus for a day before she goes to Tyra," he told King Roald and Queen Lianne.  
  
  
  
"Master, I have some information you would like to know."  
  
"What is it Delia?" Duke Roger of Conté asked the woman.  
  
"It's about Jonathan. I overheard him speaking to Raoul about a woman he was seeing. Raoul was telling him not to do anything with that new woman at court, Squire Alan's cousin. Jonathan said he wouldn't cheat on her. Raoul then said that she's his friend as well and that he wouldn't want to see her hurt because of something that he did because everything would be horrible.  
  
I did some fishing because I wasn't alone when I found that out I was with another woman and she went and told all the unmarried. The thing is no one knows who it is. It isn't one of them, none of them would have been able to hide it if it was," she told him before coming to sit in front of him.  
  
He put his hand on her head and said thoughtfully, "That would explain a lot. You had him in the palm of your hand then all of a sudden, you did not. Try to find out that it is and I will also try. You may leave now." Delia stood up and left.  
  
I wonder who she is thought Roger. He stood up and went into his workroom. Once there he got out a scrying crystal.  
  
Roger tried looking for her; all he found was mist that he couldn't get through. Damn it! He thought the same God or Gods are protecting her as Jonathan.  
  
He tried a little harder thinking it was going to be futile but he may as well try again, you never know what's going to happen. The next time he tried he saw; a woman in a room sitting at a table beside a window reading. He couldn't see her face, he could only see her from the side but she had red hair past her shoulders and was on the petite side. He heard a little girl's voice say, "Mamma, when can I see Jon?" the woman put down her book.  
  
"You can see him after he finishes his meetings. Being King keeps him very busy. But he tries to see you when he can when you're here. You know he loves seeing you, it's just hard," the woman said kindly. Her voice was quite rough but when she spoke to the girl it softened as she spoke and was sympathetic.  
  
The girl now came into view as she went over to the table. Now that Roger could see the girl, he saw that she was about seven years old. She had blondish-brown hair down to the small of her back. He could see that she was dressed very well even for a noble in dark indigo blue velvet, while the skirt had silver embroidery on it ¾ of the way down.  
  
Roger couldn't stop looking at the image. Where they talking about Jonathan? They just said that he was King, does that mean that he won't be? Roger thought. The future is never certain he remembered.  
  
The woman picked up the girl and put her on her lap and tickled her until she was giggling. When the girl was being tickled Roger got a better look at her. She had dark blue eyes, a small pert nose but didn't look to small on her, a small mouth that is always willing to smile. She looked familiar but he didn't know where to place her.  
  
There was a knock on the door, both of them looked at the door. The woman put down the girl and she ran to the door, he still couldn't see the woman's face.  
  
The girl opened the door to reveal a page. He looked to be slightly awed and scared. The woman got up and moved towards the door. She was very short and was quite stocky for a noble woman she was also wearing breeches and shirt. What is she doing wearing male clothing, no noble lady does that Roger thought.  
  
As the woman was walking towards the door the page bowed and looked even more apprehensive.  
  
"My Lady, Sir," he said bowing to the girl then the woman. I never saw a knight there thought Roger leaning closer.  
  
"I have a message from your husband," he carried on. She took the letter he handed her. It read,  
  
1 Dearest Love and little Phia  
  
I've been held up longer than I thought I would. I have some things to sort out here at home. I got held up longer in the south than I would of expected. Don't glare the weather wasn't that great it rained most of the time I was there. I got lots of presents though.  
  
I stopped of at the Bloody Hawk on the way. It is quicker to go through the Desert and I didn't stray too far, I wasn't using the road. They all send their regards. The school there is doing well as you know. Kara and Kourrem seem happy. They want to know when they will next see the two of you. They are complaining that they haven't seen Thom yet and he is almost a year old, but expect you in a couple of weeks due to the weather. You probably already know all this. It can be so handy being friends with the Voice  
  
Anyway, I got into the Swoop on Thursday. Everything is fine here. I need to stay here for a few days but I should be in Corus by Monday.  
  
All my love  
  
George  
  
The vision was replaced with mist again.  
  
Who is this woman? The Bloody Hawk? They must mean a Bazhir tribe if they live in the desert. What does he mean the Voice? It sounds like he was referring to a person, I wonder who he means. Her husband says that he is writing from home, which he calls the Swoop that must be its name. I wonder where it is. I'll have to find out. Who is this woman? And the little girl there is something about her as well. The power coming off them both was staggering, Roger thought.  
  
Roger stayed up for hours thinking about the vision. He was sitting in his favourite velvet chair when he remembered that he had a book that could help him. He got up and went to his bookcase, after several minutes of trying to find the book he found it. It was one of his more recent books, most of the ones he had of any importance were over a hundred years old, and this one was not. Delia had found it, which surprised him when she gave it to him, she actually knew where and what a bookshop was, he chuckled at the memory.  
  
This book was only a couple of years old it was an updated version of a book, which was published in his grandfather's time. It was maps of Tortall showing where all the fiefs were, but it also had family trees, family histories of well-known people who came from them.  
  
He eventually found the place, on the coast; it was near to Corus, a couple days ride away perhaps. He looked up the history of the family. There was only one famous person to come out of that fief and they were famous for having the lands revoked by the crown meaning that nobody was living there.  
  
Remember that the vision was of the future not the present, he told himself. He would keep a check on the place, someone might be granted a pearage. Now all he needed to know was who were the woman and the little girl to. (AN: A line I borrowed from the wizard of Oz) The woman seems so familiar.  
  
That's me finished this part. Sorry it's so long but I got carried away and I didn't fit everything in I should off, sorry.  
  
Thanks for all the reviews I expect some more, I'm up to 60 now. Yay! And I want many, many more. 


	7. Even more plotting

The next day….  
  
"Has anybody came up with who it might be, yet?" one of the ladies called Cressidda asked.  
  
"Well it isn't Lanna, I don't think," Dafeenie told them while stitching a flower on her embroidery.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Lelinor said putting her embroidery down on the table. The women were sitting embroidering at the table.  
  
"I was speaking to Lady Lanna and I told her that the prince was taken to her," Dafeenie said.  
  
"And?" one of the ladies asked.  
  
"I was getting to it. She said he was taken and so was she. That's all she really said about it. Are you all happy now?" Dafeenie demanded getting back to her flower.  
  
"I wonder who it is. I wish I knew." Ethalynne said wistfully.  
  
"We will find out soon enough. He will probably go off her like he did Delia," Carowline said, the women laughed. None of them liked Delia of Eldorne that much and all thought that she deserved what happened to her.  
  
"She could have been the reason he went off her. We could still try and get it out of Gary and Raoul. Tonight everyone try and get lots of drink down them. We could all say we saw Jonathan with a young woman and they seemed friendly. We could also say that she seemed familiar and ask them what her name is," Cressidda suggested.  
  
"We would have to make sure they've got enough drink down them though, " Ethalynne said thoughtfully.  
  
"But where would we see the prince with her?" Dafeenie asked.  
  
"We could say that we saw him in the city with her," Carowline said.  
  
"But we would have to make sure which day we saw him with her and make sure that he was in the city that day," Dafeenie pointed out.  
  
" I was with Matalie last Friday in the Queen Sadíl garden and we saw him go to the city on his own, out one of the small south gates. Then we went up the wall and watched him go into the city," Kience, one of the quieter women said. Matalie was her younger sister by a year.  
  
"Very well, we will say that all of us saw him with a young woman who we all thought was familiar but can't place her. Oh, I just thought they might ask what she looked like and we wouldn't know. What would we say?" Ethalynne said worried.  
  
"It was raining last Friday," Dafeenie said amused. The women looked at her with slightly confused looks. When Dafeenie saw that none of them would get what she was hinting at she said exasperated, "Her hair would be wet or her cloak would be up so we wouldn't be able to see what colour her hair would be."  
  
"Oh right! So is everybody agreed that we say that her cloak was up so we couldn't see what colour of hair she had. We saw her and Jonathan kiss goodbye for several minutes and then they went in separate directions and when the woman walked past us we saw her face and that's how she seems familiar. Everyone agreed with that story because we have to stick to that story if we saw something else it might be a little bit suspicious?" Ethalynne asked. All the women nodded.  
  
  
  
"How are we going to play with them?" Raoul whispered sharply.  
  
"I don't know, " Gary said defensively.  
  
"Well you were the one who came up with the idea to play with them, not me! You should of came up with what we were going to do," Raoul snapped.  
  
"What? I have to come up with everything?" Raoul glared. "I thought we would just come up with it as we went along," Gary whispered.  
  
Raoul was about to reply when a voice they recognised said, "Hey guys, what you arguing about?" They lifted their heads quickly towards the speaker it was Alanna.  
  
"Nothing," they both said quickly at the same time. She raised her eyebrows in disbelief about to reply when Jonathan found them.  
  
"There you lot are. We've been looking for you. We're going down to the Dove are the two of you coming?" Jon asked smiling oblivious of what had been going on before he came.  
  
"I'm not busy. Raoul?" Gary said looking at Raoul; he shook his head.  
  
"By any chance will we see your cousin Lanna? " Raoul asked as they walked down to the city.  
  
"Sadly no," Alanna said smiling. He let out an audibly noise of relief. "What's wrong with my cousin?" Alanna said defensively stopping to look at him, everybody stopped in the middle of the road down to the city.  
  
"It's just…" Raoul trailed off. Gary hid a grin by looking away from the pair.  
  
Should of known he would do that, Gary thought. It's working though. He made a sound of a held in laugh. Jon looked at his cousin and caught his eye. They both smiled and Jon had to turn away also to stop himself from bursting out laughing.  
  
"Well come on what's wrong with her?" she snapped impatiently.  
  
"She was, I kind of thought she was throwing herself at everyone," Raoul said carefully know what the outcome to that would be. He tried not to let a smile come out when she did exactly what he thought she would.  
  
"So does almost every women at court!" she said outraged.  
  
May as well put my input into this, thought Gary  
  
"They do?" Gary said in an oblivious tone that if she wasn't angry would know it was teasing.  
  
"Well of course you wouldn't notice since you're one of the ones who they're throwing themselves at," she said know directing her anger towards Gary.  
  
"Ah, yeah," he said in a misty voice and glazed look in his eyes before saying normally. " I rather think they throw themselves at our darling prince than myself."  
  
Gary smiled at his cousin. Jon narrowed his eyes and glared at him for bringing him into it.  
  
She turned at Jon and glared. "What? It's not my fault. I can't help it if they go for me," he told her throwing out his arms in defensive putting on t he most innocent look he can.  
  
"Doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy it though," Raoul muttered to Gary.  
  
"I would to," Gary told him. Jon and Alanna looked at them silently. Both of them looked like they wanted to kill them.  
  
"You better not," she told him sternly losing some off her anger.  
  
"Don't fret I'm not interested in any of them anymore," He told her sincerely. She looked at him sharply and he said "Oops." Gary and Raoul sniggered into hands.  
  
She shook her head and walked off ahead of them muttering something about men.  
  
"What did you do that for," Jon asked them.  
  
"Relax, she'll calm done soon, you know hat she's like," Gary told him unconcerned before quickly walking after Alanna.  
  
"And what wrong with her cousin?" Jon asked Raoul.  
  
"Nothing," Raoul smiled. " But she wasn't there now was she? She doesn't know what happened." Raoul quickly walked off after Gary and Alanna leaving Jon to think what he about what he meant.  
  
Jon stood for a few moments thinking about what Raoul said before he called, "Wait for me!" running to catch up with them.  
  
So what did you think? Norah email me to tell you what you meant. If anybody has any idea about where they want the story to go email them to me. (I need help with the plotlessnes and block of this story.)  
  
It's the holidays so I should be able to get a couple more parts up, I'm usually to busy to get them up during the week and I can only spend a couple of minutes on a part some days so I have to write most of this on Sunday or Saturday but I'm usually busy doing homework at the same time. That is why I don't reread or draft them I don't have time and I can't be bothered. I'm being lazy I know, spelling doesn't really matter, I use the spell and grammar check and so I don't bother.  
  
That is one of the reasons why my grammar I so bad and the fact that I don't pay that much attention in English, I just talk, and that's when the teacher can actually get round to teaching my class which has people in it a lot of the teachers just want to hit (not me though) and I'm only 13. 


	8. A Present For Alanna

At the Dancing Dove…  
  
"Hello, and who are all of you?"  
  
"Nice to see you too George," Alanna said smiling.  
  
"I'm sorry I still don't know who you are, I must have forgotten," George said sincerely.  
  
"Alright we haven't been here in weeks but we are busy people, " Jon said sitting down at the table in George's room. The other three followed.  
  
"So, so has anything happened that I don't know about since I last saw any of you?" George asked having no idea what he was going to here next.  
  
They all looked at Alanna. She sighed resigned to what will be coming and nodded. George frowned and looked at them curiously.  
  
"We know," Gary said excitedly.  
  
"And you what precisely? How to count?" George said smiling.  
  
"About Alanna," then a few minutes later. "Hey!" They all laughed apart from Gary who looked a little hurt.  
  
"How'd you find out?" Alanna and Jon were red tinged with embarrassment. Raoul and Gary couldn't contain their laughter anymore and laughed until they had tears in their eyes.  
  
"We caught them in the act," Raoul said in between laughs. George laughed.  
  
"That's how they found out?" he asked Jon and Alanna.  
  
"No, that was not how they found out," she said stubbornly. "They didn't catch us in the act. They didn't catch us doing anything."  
  
"That wasn't what it looked like to us," Gary said.  
  
"Then obviously you don't know what you're talking about," Jon retorted. They all snickered apart from Gary who was glaring at him.  
  
"That was a good come back," Raoul said ignoring Gary.  
  
"I was quite pleased with it myself," Jon told them.  
  
"Well then, what would you call it?" Gary asked trying to get them off the subject of that line.  
  
"Sleeping," Alanna glared.  
  
"Is that how you normally sleep?" Gary asked knowing that it will trick her into saying something.  
  
She opened her mouth to say yes, when Jon said, "Don't say anything. Either of the answers will look bad for a noble Lady unless they are married to the person."  
  
"Really?" she snapped standing up and getting her cloak. "Well, just as well I only have a few more months until I leave. After all it'll me make me look bad anyway, who needs that to make it even worse and lets not forget stupid." She turned and left putting on her cloak as she went.  
  
They all looked at Jon. "Oops. I shouldn't have said that. It all came out wrong."  
  
"We aren't the ones you should be telling this to. The one you should be went out that door," George said pointing to the door Alanna left from. Jon looked at the door then got his things jogged after her.  
  
The three men watched him go then continued talking like they normally would do.  
  
He got out onto the busy street and he could see her several metres in front of him. Except there were dozens of people walking between them. He fought through the people to get to her. But she was too quick and had the advantage of already gotten past the crowd and could now walk easier.  
  
He managed to catch up to her outside the palace walls after running after her.  
  
"We need to talk," he told her breathlessly grabbing her arm. She shrugged it off and glared angrily at him.  
  
"I would of thought that you'd already said what you wanted to."  
  
"It all came out wrong. Let's talk. But not here, back home," he said looking around him.  
  
"Fine!" she snapped walking ahead of him.  
  
When they got into Jon's rooms she went to the window seat. She moved all the cushions to one side, so she can use it as a pillow against the wall. She sat with her arms crossed looking outside the room. He sighed knowing that it was going to take her a while to calm down and closed the door and locked it. It wouldn't do if someone walked in on the conversation that they're having.  
  
"All I meant was that either answer you could of said was one which…. This is coming out all wrong again."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Imagine you were your ordinary court lady. If you had said yes to that question think what that would mean. I'm not meaning that they would think that, they're your friends and already know but, it's frowned on isn't it? And if you said no, then it would suggest that it was a fling and that is considered even worse."  
  
"I know but it was like you were saying I wasn't respectable or wasn't a proper lady. I haven't been to the convent or anything but it doesn't mean I'm not one either. Just because you don't see me in a dress doesn't mean I don't like acting like one in that sense, or being treated like one because I do."  
  
Jon sat beside her and took her hand. She tried to pull it away but he carried on holding it. She let him hold it when he started talking.  
  
"I do respect you, you know that. Think what it's going to be like for women in the future because of you. You'll show them that women can fight just as well as men, if not better. You deserve more respect than any of those women; look what you've gone through to get to where you are. You've had to work so much harder than the rest of us. I do remember you are a lady. How can I forget?" He kissed her hand giving her a sly smile.  
  
"But you never treat me like one. I saw how you treated other women and you've never done that to me. Do you have any idea how that hurts?" She said leaning forward. She stood up and turned from him to hide the tears that were silently following in floods. She pulled away her hand. Jon stood up and reached for her shoulders, pulling her round to face him.  
  
He saw that she was crying and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm sorry," he kept murmuring stroking her hair.  
  
When he heard and saw that she had stopped crying he handed her a handkerchief. "I love you, you know?" he told her kissing her on the forehead.  
  
She looked up into his eyes and said, "You do? I love you too."  
  
"That's where I put it!" Jon exclaimed. "Wait a minute." He went over to his desk by the other window. He pulled one of the drawers out of the desk. Alanna could see a small blue velvet bag attached to the outside of the drawer at the back. It was the bag that Jon wanted. He took it off the drawer then put the drawer back into the desk.  
  
He came and stood infront of Alanna. "I meant to give you this for your birthday but, well, I forgot where I hid it from you." He handed her the bag. She frowned and opened it. Alanna gasped.  
  
  
  
AN: I took ages getting this part up, sorry if you were waiting. Thanks Norah for the suggestion for more A/J parts. I'll continue this to the next part. I have a little more of a clue how this story is going to go and I have sort of planned the ending and I'm good at making up a lot of nonsense which borders on funny according to my friends, I don't know if they would think the story is funny though. The start they might but it's fizzing out to not funny at all now. I'll have to try and make it funny.  
  
Please review, that's one of my favourite parts about writing fics, I get all excited when I read them and if you make a suggestion and I like it I'll try and put it in. 


	9. The Star

Inside the bag was a small six point star pendant on a fine silver chain. The pendant was silver with a smaller star in the middle made of black opal. In the centre of the opal was an amethyst that matched the colour of her eyes. From each corner of the opal there was a silver line going to the amethyst that was at the cross of all six.  
  
"Jon I can't…"  
  
"Of course you can. I want you to have it. Here let me put it on you. As soon as I saw it I thought of you. I went looking for something and saw the amethyst and I saw your pretty eyes. There, go see in the mirror." Alanna left to see herself in the mirror in another room. Jon came followed her.  
  
"It doesn't look right. It looks like a boy wearing women's jewellery. But oh, it's so pretty!" she said in wonder fingering it. "Thank you!"  
  
"I thought you said you couldn't accept."  
  
"I did. But I had to say that."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"You don't really understand women do you? I had to say it, it looks so expensive and you'd already given me a present! But that doesn't mean I won't accept it," she told him. Jon came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder.  
  
Alanna leaned into him and yawned. "I'm so tired."  
  
"Have a lie down."  
  
"That would be nice. Can you take it off me please?"  
  
"Why? What's wrong with it?" he asked worried.  
  
"Nothing is wrong with it. I love it it's just that it is very girlish."  
  
"Did you see the inscription?" He handed her the necklace after taking it off.  
  
" Dux femina facti  
  
Fama semper vivat  
  
Sic itur ad astra," he recited. Then both of them said together.  
  
" A woman was leader in the deed  
  
May her fame live forever.  
  
Such is the way to the stars," he told her kissing her on the forehead. "It's from the east, near the Roof. A seer there said it, hundreds of years ago. I thought it fit you. The man, Malchi, goes on about someone, a woman doing a great deed. Saving a nation from a great evil. I wonder who the evil is? Doesn't it make you curious?" Jon grinned.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder who it is," she said smiling tightly thinking of Roger. " I'm going to bed."  
  
"On your own?" he asked kissing her on the neck.  
  
"Yes, I'm tired. But. Jon I am tired. Well, maybe a few, quite a few minutes won't make much difference," she corrected after a few more minutes of his kissing. Jon guided her to the bed. "Door locked?" she asked.  
  
"Mmmh, Mmmh. did it earlier."  
  
"You planned this?" she asked pulling away from him. By now they had each other's shirts off.  
  
"No, I…" he stammered.  
  
"Teasing," she smiled, pulling him towards her.  
  
"So have the two of you made up yet?" Raoul asked Alanna on her way back from the mess hall. It was very late; most people had already gone to bed. They hadn't had a chance to speak during dinner. Alanna was busy serving people, some of the other squires were sick so she had extra duties being a senior squire.  
  
"You been waiting on me?" she asked him still walking down the corridor towards her room.  
  
"Yeah, we feel guilty. If the two of you had real big row because of us, then, well we'd never forgive ourselves," he said looking upset, which knowing him he would be. He was walking slightly behind her.  
  
She turned, so she could speak to him face to face and carried on walking only ht is time it was backwards. "Don't worry we're fine," she smiled. Just then she fell backwards.  
  
She fell and skidded along the cobble stone floor. When she fell they had almost reached a small spiral stairway, which span all levels of the palace. Unfortunately they were on the 2nd floor with 4 levels below ground as well, 7 floors to the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Alanna!" he called moving forward, but it was too late she had already tumbled down the stairs.  
  
She knew she had to curl in a ball to protect herself. That's all she had time to do. Alanna rolled past doorways, she lost count how many she past.  
  
Eventually she stopped rolling. Finally she thought and then it all went black. Alanna was sprawled on the ground at the bottom of the stairs. On the lowest floor the stairs went to. She had fallen 7 floors.  
  
AN: Do you all like? Tell me what you think in reviews or email if you want or both. I am pleased with this chapter, one my best. It doesn't quite meet the first few chapters but it's better than some my others in this fic.  
  
For Lapceta and any others this fic is going to stay A/J because that's how it is in TP's books and I like that pairing at that time in Alanna's life and I like A/G later on. 


	10. The Infirmary

Thanks for all the reviews; I'm almost at 100! Please do it again. I love getting them. Even if you just say if you liked the chapter, or not.  
  
  
  
"Lanna," Raoul ran to her, going to his knees beside her. He took her hand, "Wake-up! Please wake-up! I'll be back with help." Raoul ran off, back up the stairs he had came down.  
  
There was a haze surrounding her and lots of faces, that's what Alanna remembered about the bottom of the stairs. Raoul had gotten help at the healers and they had come.  
  
After checking her neck they had moved her up to the infirmary. Duke Baird lifted up her shirt to check her ribs to see if they were broken. When he did so, she started wriggling away from him and hitting out, still unconscious. Baird stopped trying to see her ribs and took tried to steady her to stop her form hurting herself.  
  
She stopped fighting and wriggling when he took her hand to search and see what was wrong with her. He checked her head it had a large concussion. Her right arm was sprained and her left elbow was fractured. When he checked her back it was here where he started to run into difficulties. He managed to check the top of her spine and that was only bruised, but when he checked the lower of her spine it was getting harder and drawing more energy than it should from him. He checked her lungs, which were fine then moved onto her ribs, testing them this time with his gift. She had broken 3 of them and cracked another 12. None of these injuries were life threatening, he would heal them after he found out how the rest of her was.  
  
The problems were after that. He tried to find out if her other organs were alright. It was then that he encountered a barrier. It was not what he would of expected, other than it was there. It was made of a white gift. So it wasn't made by Alan he thought. Why would someone make a barrier? It might kill him. He probed the barrier and his strength was almost all sucked out of him. He pulled away breathless and gasped.  
  
"Timas! Come here please."  
  
"What is it?" She had long blonde hair that was up in a bun. She was a tall woman in her early twenties, with grey eyes, a smallish nose, pale lips and creamy white skin.  
  
"He's got a concussion, his left elbow is cracked, right arm sprained, 3 broken ribs and 12 cracked ones. I'm not sure about his abdomen, he won't let me near it to examine it and when I did it through his hand there was some kind off shield. It's taken most of my strength I can't heal his other ailments. There are a lot of bruises. Heal the rest of him but leave the abdomen. I'll speak to his friends." Baird left her with the young healer.  
  
Jon ran into the waiting room with Gary and Faithful close on his heals. Raoul jumped up from his chair when they came in, he was distraught.  
  
"What happened?" Jon demanded frantic.  
  
"She just tripped and fell backwards, then skidded towards the stairs. There was nothing I could do. She fell 7 floors, Jon!" Jon sat down on one of the chairs dejected. He lent forward and put his heads in his hands.  
  
"Gods!" Gary breathed, shocked. He paled visibly. Just then Baird came out, looking very worn.  
  
"How is she- he. How is he?" Raoul asked.  
  
"He's got a concussion, his left elbow is cracked, right arm sprained, 3 broken ribs and 12 cracked ones. I don't know about his abdomen, I couldn't get a look at him. There was something stopping me. I physically tried to see but he wouldn't let me, he was hitting out injuring himself even more so I looked magically and I got stopped by a white barrier."  
  
"Can we see him?" Jon asked looking up.  
  
Baird looked like he was going to refuse but when he saw their faces he agreed. "But only for a few minutes. There is someone tending him."  
  
All of them went in to the room where she was. There was someone sitting on the bed beside her, Timas. She never looked up when they came in, she was to busy concentrating on healing. Jon sat down on the chair by the bed while the others stood and Faithful went onto the bed beside her.  
  
After about 10 minutes the woman looked up and noticed that people were there.  
  
"How's?" Gary asked.  
  
"Not good. I think there's internal bleeding in his abdomen but neither the Duke nor I can get near enough in both terms to check. It doesn't look good. I'm sorry." She looked down and left. She closed the door as she left leaving them on their own with Alanna.  
  
Jon moved his chair forward and took her hand staring at her face. It was so pale he thought. While Gary moved to stand infront of the door so no one could get in. There was a white flash. The three of them turned to see where it originated from and saw Faithful. He had his paw on her stomach.  
  
She is beyond my ability to help. You know what you must do, he told them looking at Jon.  
  
"Can't you do that? You're more able than me!" he said pleadingly looking from Alanna to the cat.  
  
Do not be afraid she will listen to you. You have done it before you remember that. She will know it concerns Alanna and come. She will not want Alanna to die she is too important. I cannot contact her because that would mean I would have to cross over and I cannot go there and come back again. She needs me here, he told them mainly looking at Jon.  
  
"Will one of you ask Baird for some vervain please? Tell him it's to do with the barrier." He looked at Gary while saying this. Gary nodded and left to speak to Baird.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Raoul asked cautiously.  
  
"Do a spell."  
  
"But that wasn't what Faithful was going on about that."  
  
"He was talking about the spell that Alanna did to save me and when we used it with the Ysandir. It can end up killing me just for trying it."  
  
"The one for the Goddess?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The door opened quickly and Baird came in clearly displeased with Gary following behind him. Jon dropped his hand when Baird came in. "You can't try that. There are other ways!"  
  
"What other option is there? The shield is down but it's too late to do anything else. Alan will die if we don't try that. There's been to much bleeding!"  
  
"Let someone else do it then. You'll die if you fail, as most do. Alan is the only person I have known or heard of in living memory to of performed it successfully."  
  
"I've done it before! The Ysandir were going to kill us if we didn't try it. We heard her voice and she told us what to do. Alan's done it for me. I'm not going to sit around and watch her die when I can do something that will save his life! Do you have the vervain?" Baird and Jon exchanged glares for several moments then Baird handed over a small packet of the herb and left.  
  
Jon got up and emptied the packet's contents into the fire. The fire quickly turned blue, the colour of Jon's gift. He put his hands into the fire and murmured the spell he'd need to call the Goddess.  
  
It is you again. What is wrong? She asked in his head. It was a voice that hurt.  
  
"It's Alanna, she is dieing and we can do nothing for her."  
  
"Who's he speaking to?" Gary asked Raoul.  
  
The Mother Goddess herself, Faithful told them. 


	11. The Goddess

MagixPawn you were the 100 reviewer so thank you and Yay! I got over 100 reviews. For those who want to know I didn't make up the little quote thing. I got those 3 lines out of the quote section at the back of my dictionary. The lines are in Latin and what I said they meant they do.  
  
I still like getting reviews so still do them.  
  
  
  
"What do we do to help her?" Jon asked.  
  
Go over to her and take her hand. I will see what's wrong through you, she told him still in his head. Jon went over to the bed and took her hand. Gary and Raoul moved towards the door to keep out of his way, he was glowing.  
  
Jon felt what the Goddess was doing not the results. He felt he was eavesdropping a conversation, and only hearing one end. He felt his mouth speak but had no control over what he was saying.  
  
"You were supposed to look after her. That's why I sent you here. To keep her safe, not to kill herself and whatever else." It was Jon's voice but it sounded different, more feminine and not quite human.  
  
It wasn't my fault she fell down 7 flights of stairs! When I got to her it was to late to do anything. Only you are able to do what needs to be done. He is coming I can feel it. The shield stopped her being able to have been healed. I know there is a need for there being a shield but not if it kills her, Faithful yowled angrily at the goddess, only Jon could hear what the cat was saying.  
  
"Very well." Jon stopped glowing. "Where did she go? She never helped Alanna!" Jon looked around the room suspiciously he could feel a great amount of power building. He sat down on the chair exhausted. When he thought he could stand it any longer there was a bright light.  
  
And there she was the Great Mother Goddess herself. She was very tall, with long black hair, green eyes and very beautiful.  
  
"She always has to get herself into trouble. Falling into frozen ponds, stairs and the Ysandir! I never had as much trouble from any of the others, but no as usual she has to be different," she muttered going over to the bed. The woman sat down on the edge of the bed and put her hands above Alanna's stomach. There was another white light as she examined what was wrong with her. A small frown crossed the woman's face.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she directed to the cat.  
  
I would of thought you'd already know. I put a shield around the child to protect it. I don't think she knows yet otherwise she would of told me and he certainly doesn't know, he told her and only her.  
  
The Goddess looked at what was happening inside her. She suffered heavy internal bleeding in her abdomen. Both of her kidneys were failing as was her liver and her spleen had ruptured. The child was also dieing and she'd have to hurry to save them without having to bring them back from the dead. She fixed the kidneys, liver and spleen back to what they were except with scarring and took away the blood that she had been bleeding.  
  
The child was even worse of than Alanna. It had been hurt in the head when she had fell damaging parts of the brain. It would never survive if it was born even if she healed it they way she healed Alanna. The brain was just too damaged. The only way to save it was to put some of her energy into it. I am going to get in so much trouble, she thought. What she was about to do was going to get her into a lot of trouble with the other Gods. But I'm going to do it anyway she thought making her mind up.  
  
The Goddess started streaming some of her essence into the child. It would change the child make it more god like but she would live. She was just about to go when she thought, when she finds out about this she's going to run before she deals with Roger. I better do something.  
  
She quickly put up a shield inside Alanna so that no one not even Alanna will be able to see or feel what is happening to her. That should do she thought.  
  
"Alanna wake up!" she called softly. She undid what the young woman had done to make her sleep, so she didn't feel the pain.  
  
Alanna's eyes slowly flickered open. "Where am I?"  
  
"It's alright. You're in the infirmary. You fell down some stairs do you remember?" the Goddess asked smoothing her hair back onto the pillow, like a mother would.  
  
"Yes, I remember. I tripped on one of the stones I think. I remember rolling down the stairs and then I stopped at the bottom and then some faces. I saw him again! Don't let me go back there!" she said going even whiter and breaking out in a scared sweat. She started breathing even heavily than before letting some tears slide down her cheek. Jon moved to the side of the bed to comfort her.  
  
When she saw him she sat up and hugged him tightly. "It's so much different when you're actually in the well. I was going down it so quickly! You never spoke about it and I didn't realise how horrible it was to be there. It was bad enough being near it but being in it is so much worse!" she sobbed.  
  
"Shh, you're out now. It's alright you're alive, you're alive," he told her gently rocking her, his own voice catching in his throat at the thought of her being dead.  
  
"I must go now. I have been gone too long and will get in trouble, even if it's you," she said standing up.  
  
"Mother, when did you get here? Why are you here?" she said pulling away from Jon and wiping her eyes.  
  
"I got here when you were dieing over there and you being you were being stubborn so no one but me could help you. You of all people should know what'll happen if you go and die. Be more careful and don't get hit in the stomach! I will speak to you both later. You are getting nearer to what we talked about last time. Be happy for doing it. Good-bye. Nice to meet the two of you," she said directing the last comment towards Gary and Raoul in the corner. The two of them hastily bowed and when she looked back up she was gone. 


	12. Paths

My aim for this chapter is to get more than 10 signed reviews form different people and I'll post. I'm being mean author, so it gives me more time to get the next part up. This is my last day of freedom; I have to go back to school tomorrow so I won't have much time for a chapter. So it might take me over a week to get the next few parts up. I want to finish this fic so I can concentrate on the sequel. Anyway on with the tale...  
  
  
  
Gary and Raoul both hugged her.  
  
"That was interesting!" Gary said after several minutes. "What did she mean though?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She said you were getting closer to what you talked about last time. That's what I meant and what did she mean when she said that you of all people should know what'll happen if you go and die?"  
  
Everybody has some purpose in life, some more than others. She has not completed hers and she won't fully complete hers for some time, Faithful told them.  
  
"Are you talking weeks, months, years?" Alanna asked yawning.  
  
Years, Faithful told them. (AN: italics don't seem to work)  
  
"I think that's good to know. I know I'll be alive in a few years," she said brightly. They laughed. Jon sat down on the chair and leaned back exhausted.  
  
"So what is her purpose?" Raoul asked.  
  
I cannot tell you that. It is not my place. The only one I can tell is Alanna, Faithful told them.  
  
"Then tell her so she can tell me!" Gary pleaded.  
  
She could already tell you since she already knows some of it. I only know some of it myself and she knows the same, he told them calmly licking hid paws.  
  
"What is it then Lanna?" Gary turned towards her.  
  
"I don't know," she said feigning innocence. They saw right through her lie.  
  
"You do so."  
  
"Alright I know what I'm supposed to do, but I can't tell you. If I do I might turn up dead and in case you didn't notice you'd get in a lot of trouble. Shouldn't someone go say I'm alive?"  
  
Raoul sighed and left the room.  
  
"Is that what would happen?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You've known what you've had to do for a long time haven't you? How long?" he asked, realisation hitting Gary.  
  
"About…" she paused thinking. " six years."  
  
"What?" Jon said sleepily from the chair.  
  
"You just go to sleep now. Thank you, I never had a chance earlier" she told him. It was during this that Duke Baird came in hearing all that she said and stopping Jon from replying in what he wanted to say.  
  
He opened his mouth to say something but he saw the Duke. He swallowed and opened his mouth to say something that would be suitable infront of the Duke.  
  
" You would and have done the same for me. You're one of my best friends, I wouldn't and couldn't stand by and watch you die, not when there was something I could do," he said this looking her in the eye, telling her the unspoken words that he wanted to say if others weren't there.  
  
"Me too," she said looking down before they turned and looked at the others in the room.  
  
"Jonathan you should listen to him and go and rest. I am surprised that you haven't collapsed yet. How are you Alan? You seem back to your usual self. I would expect you to be sleeping as well," he told them looking from one to the other.  
  
"I'm fine, almost never felt better."  
  
"You almost died 10 minutes ago," he said in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, you Grace, but I'm fine now. All healed." She looked at Jon and stood up. "Swap," she said helping him onto the bed and sitting on the chair.  
  
"Let me check you over. I know what you're like." The Duke went over to her on the chair and knelt down. He took her arm and checked her over with magic. There was not one sign that there was anything wrong with her at all, which puzzled the Duke. The shield was still there though. "Who actually healed you?" he asked.  
  
"The Great Mother Goddess herself," Gary said in wonder.  
  
"Your Grace, could you not tell any one please? About her healing me, could you say you did it?" she asked. He frowned at the request but nodded. Strange, but Alan always has been a bit of strange character. He's a nice boy though, very smart, he thought.  
  
"The shield is still there though." At her look he continued, " the one that stopped me form healing you in the first place."  
  
"What's it like?"  
  
"It's a white barrier of light that my gift can't get through. It shields your whole abdomen, which was where you were bleeding."  
  
She looked at Faithful then glanced back at the Duke. "I don't know anything about that sir." He nodded not believing Alan, but not saying anything about it.  
  
"I have to go now, I have patients to see. I'll leave you all here. It looks like someone needs his sleep," he said looking at Jon asleep on the bed. The Duke got up and left the room closing the door behind him.  
  
Raoul then went and hugged Alanna again, "I'm glad you're alright. It was my fault you fell. You were talking to me walking backwards that's what made you trip."  
  
"Nonsense it was me who tripped. You never pushed me did you? So it wasn't your fault. If it was anyone's fault it was mine I should have been more careful where I was walking."  
  
"Come on Raoul. We should leave them alone for a while. I'm glad you're all right. What would we do without you?" he said tugging on Raoul's arm before hugging her again. The two of them left leaving her with Jon.  
  
She spent the night sleeping in the chair with him sleeping on the bed. 


	13. Why?

Alanna woke with a start from the chair she was sitting on. I guess I was more tired than I thought, she thought looking round her. It was past noon she deducted by looking out the window of the small room in the infirmary. She had slept most of the night and morning she realised. She sat up straighter in the chair and looked down at Jonathan, expecting to see him sleeping. Instead she saw he was sitting up on the bed watching her with a small smile on his face. She smiled back at him, and then suddenly she hugged him.  
  
He had thought she was all right now with what had happened but the strength in her hug betrayed her. "Shh, it's alright now," he soothed.  
  
"I thought I'd never see you again," she said silently sobbing. Jon looked down at her head and lifted her head softly with his hand and saw the tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I thought when I saw you that you were dead. If it hadn't been for the healer there working on you and then speaking to us, I almost wouldn't have believed it. You were so pale and cold," he faltered to stop himself from starting crying also.  
  
"Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?" he told her sternly. "I was scared out of my wits. Thank the Goddess you're alive. I love you. Let's get out of this place it always reminds me of being ill. I think it has something to do with the smell." Alanna chuckled at the last remark and dried her eye on her sleeve. She pulled away form Jon and stood up, helping him while she did that.  
  
"Jon, thank you and…." She trailed off meeting his eyes. She looked down, "I love you too."  
  
Nothing much happened for the next few months leading up to Midwinter. There was the usual pranks played and Jon and Alanna's friends' girlfriends came and went. There was one thing that did happen though. It was that noticeable, but Alanna and Jon noticed it.  
  
Alanna got more tired easily and her appetite had increased slightly. Jon was more protective of her, she caught him glancing at her more and more, and if she started to yawn he would think up an excuse to get her to rest.  
  
Alanna was sitting thinking after being this after being told to go and rest and smiled. At least he's treating me like a proper girlfriend I suppose. Although it is getting slightly annoying, I did ask for this so, I have only myself to blame. At least I get loads of sleep and peace. He gets so worried about me now. He did think that that's not how I wanted to be treated.  
  
It's not so annoying I suppose it means he cares. I always knew he cared but he never showed it like that. I was always treated as a comrade more than his lover. I like the new way better. Especially all the presents and surprises I get now! She thought sitting on a window seat in her rooms. She had her favourite book out infront of her.  
  
It was form Jon about Lady Knights and their great deeds. Jon had told her it would be her in a book like that one day. When he's King if females aren't allowed to train to be a knight then he'd make a proclamation. Alanna had laughed when he had said this when he had given her the book. She thought that his face was to serious when he said this and she was right because he started laughing along with her. Afterwards she thought about it and realised that that would be true. If by the time he became King and the feminine half of the nobles weren't allowed to train as a knight then he would make a proclamation.  
  
Female Knights, she sighed. That is one thing I cannot wait on. For there would be more than just her, providing she passed the Ordeal. The Ordeal, that made her nervous, and hungry, she thought. When she got nervous, she got hungry she discovered recently. She was gaining weight, she was getting closer to average now, instead of very skinny. Alanna thought drifting off to sleep.  
  
Jon shaking her awake awakened her. "We have dinner now."  
  
"Oh, no. At least you get to sit down I have to serve people. It is so much worse for me than it is for you, you know? I have women trying to flirt with me, and lets not forget the glances and whispering and giggling. You had women doing that too, but at least you like woman in that way. Imagine that were you and they were guys! Can't you make an excuse up for me, like I was sick or something?" she said sleepily. He started pulling her up out of the seat. He was laughing slightly at her complaining and the faces she was making at him.  
  
"It's not that bad. You have less than a month left and you are only saying this because you are tired. You never know I might have had men after me like that." She laughed. "Think of it, you definitely have both genders after you. You have all the pretty ladies and you have me to name one after you. That should put a smile on your face. It's also quite funny seeing them try to flirt with you and then seeing you try and get away."  
  
"You think you would get jealous, someone flirting with your girlfriend wouldn't you?" she said snuggling into him looking up into his eyes.  
  
"They aren't the ones I get jealous of, and they are women. I don't think I have anything to worry about there." He kissed her swiftly. "Now go get ready. Trying to get me to give in like that. I don't know what I'm going to do with you." His eyes twinkling merrily.  
  
"Oh who knows? But me having to serve at dinner, you see you won't be able to do anything because of that. Poor, poor little Jon, sleeping on his own tonight. My heart bleeds," she pulled away grinning slyly. She turned to go and clean up when his arm snaked out and pulled her towards him.  
  
He kissed her fiercely and then pulled back smiling, " Can that change your mind?"  
  
"It might. I think I need a little more convincing though."  
  
"Really?" he kissed her again. "Was that enough?"  
  
"I'll let you know later. For as you know I have to go to dinner now and slave away for a few hours." She turned and went through to her own rooms to smarten up and then left.  
  
At dinner…  
  
Alanna was serving Jonathan who was sitting next to Gary and Raoul. She was speaking to them when she looked up and caught Roger looking at her curiously. She met his eyes across the room and they filled with hatred. Roger's eyes met hers in hatred if not more so. He smiled and raised his glass to her and mouthed, soon. She looked away and shuddered. It's cold in here, she thought. She knew she was lying to herself, but didn't want to admit what Roger meant.  
  
Jon looked at Alanna when he she didn't reply to something Raoul said and saw her staring across the room at someone. He followed her gaze and saw Roger raise his glass then mouth, soon to her. He looked back at Alanna and saw her shudder.  
  
He was looking at her when she turned back to the conversation Gary and Raoul had already carried on. She smiled at him then excused herself, saying she had to go back now.  
  
Jon sat back thinking about what he had just seen. He always knew that Alanna and Roger didn't get on but he was almost positive Alanna looked scared when Roger smiled at her. He could count the amount of times he has seen Alanna scared on one hand. But to be scared of Roger! He wouldn't hurt her would he? He thought back through the years of all that had happened to Alanna. The many times she had almost died and hadn't. Who would want to hurt her though? There isn't any reason to hurt her is there? She's just an ordinary squire apart form the whole female part. What has she has ever done that would want someone to kill her? The times she's saved your life, a voice in his head told him. But why would she be afraid of Roger? What about when the two of you were at the oasis after the Ysandir, she tried to tell you about Roger trying to kill us and I never believed her.  
  
What if what she said was true, and Roger did try to kill us, mainly me. But why? The throne, the annoying voice said again.  
  
He stood up and told Raoul and Gary that he was going home. "Tell her, I'll see her later."  
  
"Why you going?" Gary asked.  
  
"I have some things to do for my father and I haven't finished them yet."  
  
"Alright we'll tell Alan where you've gone. See you tomorrow," Raoul t old him.  
  
"Where's Jon?" Alanna asked some time later.  
  
"He said he had some things to finish for his father and that he'll see you later," Gary told her.  
  
"Alright, thanks." Alanna turned from the two of them and left wondering what Jon had to do, for she knew that he didn't have anything to do for his father.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
What did you all think? Remember to review. If I get 10 reviews I will post again. Remember to review because I never got enough last time! But that won't happen this time will it? It's getting interesting. Thanks to bubblegum*girl I will get that part up soon and to Lady Alanna or Lucy I think, who bugged me to get up this part. 


	14. The Truth

* thoughts *  
  
"Jon!" Alanna called out coming into their rooms. She looked around the main room and saw a candle on in Jon's rooms. She went cautiously through the door going into his study. "Jon?" she called again. He wasn't in here either and the light was coming from one candle on the table by the window. She went into the bedroom and found Jon lying in a chair asleep.  
  
She smiled to herself and looked around for something to cover him. She went through to her room and brought a blanket from there. She wrapped him in the blanket and kissed him on the forehead.  
  
Alanna left to lock the doors for the night and blow the candles out. Alanna got changed and got into bed in Jon's room and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.  
  
She woke up about an hour later when she felt cold. She hugged the covers closer to her and rolled over. When she rolled over she found Jon next to her.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I thought knowing you you'd sleep," he smiled and kissed her nose. She smiled.  
  
"It's alright. I get more sleep than I've ever had now than I did when I was a page. I'm not that tired now anyway." She put her head on Jon's chest and he wrapped his arm round her, playing with her hair.  
  
"Really? Well that'll give us sometime to talk, then won't it? Since we get up too late and rush round like madmen or women and then we don't really have time to talk during the day." Alanna could tell he was nervous about something, she could feel how fast his heart was beating.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked worried moving up onto one of her elbows.  
  
"Nothing, nothing!" he pulled her back down towards him. "It's strange how things turn out, isn't it? Who would of thought this would happen when we first met?" she laughed.  
  
"I would of thought that would be last on your list. Sleeping with your squire, my Lord Prince!" she said mock outraged. He chuckled. She had felt him get less nervous but now he was getting more so.  
  
"Do you still hate Roger?" he felt her stiffen. * Wrong thing to say. Should of asked more subtly.*  
  
"What makes you think I have ever hated him?" He could tell that she was getting defensive and angry. * All I did was ask her if she liked him. No you didn't you asked her if she hated your cousin, who you've basically told her you worship. She'd tell me if she hated him, only if you ask though. She wouldn't want to upset you, and she thinks that she might. You know she doesn't like him and she must know that you know that. But will she tell the truth or say what she thinks won't upset you? *  
  
"Lanna, you must think I'm blind when it concerns you. I see the looks the two of you give each other. Neither of you can stand to be in the same room as the other! What about earlier tonight at dinner? You seemed terrified! Can't you tell me?" he said getting upset.  
  
"We can stand to be in the same room as each other. You have no idea what he's like! You've forbidden me to say anything against him remember?" she said getting out of bed and taking the blanket from the chair and going to her own room, tears slowly flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Jon waited a few moments and followed her to her room. She was lying on her side with her back to the door. He moved and sat down next to her on the bed. He put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off quickly.  
  
"Lanna, why'd you leave?" he said trying to catch her eyes. He saw that she was crying and gently stroked them away. She rolled over onto her back to speak to him.  
  
"Because I'd end up saying something about him that would get you mad and you wouldn't speak to me for days about it."  
  
"I've been wanting to ask you this for years but, well I didn't really want to know the answer. Just in case what you said was true, but what made you suspect him? I mean there must have been more to what you said about the Ysandir, how he told me to go there." She looked away. "Answer me, please?" he asked softly turning her head back to face him gently. Her eyes pleaded him not to let her answer it. "I need to know."  
  
She looked away and Jon thought she was going to refuse again. "It was during the Sweating Sickness, when you got sick everyone was saying if only Roger was here, he's the only one who can save us all. Then I got a letter from Thom. He was saying that they had heard about it up at the City, and that there was speculation over who did it. They made a list. The list was three names long. Then when I met him, there was something about him. Thom also said that he is well known in the City about foiling young sorcerers careers, some never seen again. I remember when he called all of us into see him before we left for Persopolis and I remember him playing with that jewel and getting sleepy. I pinched myself to wake up and he was talking just to you and everybody else in the room was out of it then just seemed to snap back. Then there are lots of other suspicious things. He has us followed into the city and has Thom spied on. He had to act like a complete idiot so no one would expect him to be any good at magic.  
  
Think about what Roger would gain with you dead in several years? You're the only direct person in line to the throne then it goes to Roger doesn't it? The third cousins don't have as much of a claim as him. That would make him the new heir. Have you ever thought about it that way? He is trying to KILL YOU!" she hissed at him. He drew back stunned at what she had just said.  
  
"If you've known that for almost 6 years then why haven't you said something before?" She looked hurt at what he said thinking he didn't believe her. But he was thinking it through and just wanting answers. He was only angry with her for not saying something earlier.  
  
"Because you don't just go around accusing one of the most powerful men in the world, who will make everybody think you are crazy and have you hanged for treason for accusing him. I don't have any evidence, not proper, only things that have worn off and I've been the only witness sometimes. Do you really think they'd believe me, someone who talks to their cat and he's the King's nephew in case you've forgotten? Would they believe me apposed to him, who could put spells on their families, kill them, their families and make them all believe him anyway? He has basically admitted to me of wanting you dead. When he tried to get me on his side once," she paused looking down away from him and fiddling with the edge of the blanket. He took her hands and pulled her up into a sitting position and lifted her head to look at him.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"He asked if we were friends, I stupidly told him no, then he asked if we were enemies. I asked him to tell me. He knew I suspected him but neither of us had ever come out and said it. How could we without me ending up dead? He's tried but it's never succeeded. He said he could be a very good friend. But I said, I had no wish to make him my enemy; I want to die old asleep in my bed. Which I do. He said I could get that if we were friends and many things could be mine. I asked him if I could get the same reassurance that my other friends could have the same chance and that I doubted that was his aim. He shrugged after a while and said, "I see. Thus, as long as you feel this way, we will be…" I told him less than friends. Then after a few more minutes of talking, he left and the fog came up and then that's when they got me and I woke up on the other side of the river."  
  
  
  
  
  
Ah, it got too long so I will finish this in the next part. What will Jon say? Here's the other part. Thanks to all the reviewers, I appreciate getting reviews they can be good or bad, in answer to some ones question. They were joking though and so am I, I'm only to get good ones. I got enough reviews this time so you get another part up! If you want the next part up then I've to get…(I'm going to aim high) 20 reviews. It's nice to see that I have a new reader (Sophie) and some people actually like it! If you review and you are a new reader I will mention you. And I do have a plot now, you know? I've had one for a while it may not seem like it but I do. 


	15. chapter15

"We have to tell my parents! I'll kill him!" he said jumping up of the bed. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back down to sit.  
  
"Don't you see you can't? There isn't any evidence. He's too clever to leave evidence lying around. Everyone loves Roger do you think they'd believe us? They might believe you but if I hadn't said anything would you of ever thought of him doing something like that?"  
  
"No, I don't suppose I would have. I just wanted to know about why you and Roger didn't like each other. I only know why you don't like Roger. Why doesn't he like you?"  
  
"He doesn't like me because, you would of died during the Sweating Sickness wouldn't you?"  
  
"Yes, if it wasn't for you. Oh, you saved my life. I should have died and he would have been next in line."  
  
"It wasn't only the Sweating Sickness, there's the Black City, if it was just one of us we would of died. Then there's Drell."  
  
"Drell?"  
  
"Come on, do you think that they attacked your forces was just a coincidence when Roger was in charge?"  
  
"I didn't even think of that."  
  
"He's clever. He planned on getting command of the troops. Duke Gareth's horse had a very prickly bur in his horse's blanket. What horse wouldn't rear or act up, and with the girth not very tight?"  
  
"There must have been more than that to suspect him? There is isn't there?"  
  
"Yeah. I always send letters through George; I know that no one would know that I send Thom messages that way. He told me that several people there watch him. I sent a verbal message to him, thank the Gods it was verbal. He was found dead by the side of the road, 5 poisoned arrows in his back, his things searched and strewn on the side of the road. Then when I went to see Thom myself, on the way back George and I were attacked. One of the attackers said that I wasn't meant to be hurt. I was to be taken alive. They were told to get me and kill George. He started clawing at invisible hands at his throat, and then he died. When I looked to see what magic was being used it was orange, a colour I'm familiar with, Roger's."  
  
"How'd you know what colour the magic was?" she took of her ember stone and handed it to him.  
  
"When I hold it I can see magic. Watch." She looked around her and saw that one of her books was on her table. She reached out with her magic to get it to come towards her. The book flew to her outstretched hand. "Do you see it?"  
  
"Yes. Where did you get this?"  
  
"I told you before it was a present."  
  
"Yes, I remember but who gave it to you and how long have you had it?"  
  
"Since I was 14 and the Goddess gave it to me."  
  
"When-wait! When she said you know your destiny, Roger?"  
  
"He's part of it and so are you."  
  
"Me? What have you got to do?"  
  
"Yes, you are the person Roger is trying to kill. And you mustn't be killed, not just talking as a friend but for Tortall. Expose Roger; defeat Roger, both of them probably. I don't know exactly."  
  
"What else?"  
  
Remember me falling through the ice? That was deliberate. Then there was Demon Grey he was orange as well. Then there's Alex."  
  
"What about Alex?"  
  
"He has changed so much since becoming Roger's squire. You must have seen that?"  
  
"Haven't we all changed since becoming squires?"  
  
" Remember when I broke my collar bone? We were fencing one day, just the two of us there. There wasn't even Faithful. He gave me a deep scratch on my thigh, I told him to be careful but he didn't answer then we went body-to-body, trying to knock me over." Jon winced, knowing that that would have been hard for her.  
  
"I got out of the body lock and let my temper get away with me, I hit him with the flat of my sword on his cheek. I told him sorry and he brought his sword back up and he was smiling, and not in a nice way. He whispered to me that I should guard. I didn't want to play anymore so I lunged hoping that that would end it. Our swords locked and he pushed me to the ground this time. I rolled away and his sword chipped the wood an inch away form my head. If you had seen his face you would know what I meant. His eyes were very bright and his smile was very nasty. I jumped up and he got me a good one in the ribs so I gave him another one back. I brought my sword down to my side and told him to stop that something was wrong. I just got my sword up in time, the amount of sparks that came off. He brought his sword above his head and was going to hit my skull but I moved and he got my collarbone. I heard the bone snap and fell to my knees. He knew I was hurt, I cried out. I brought his sword up and he was going to kill me I knew he would, break my neck.  
  
"If it wasn't for Myles just then, he would of. He dropped the blade and turned round to Myles. Myles pointed out that I was hurt and when Alex turned round to look at me the smile was gone and he looked concerned. Myles told me that he was trying to kill me and I told him he's been my friend for years."  
  
"I swear next time I see him!" he said getting up and pacing angrily.  
  
"No, you can't! You have to act like how everything was yesterday. You can't act on anything I've told you, just like I can't act on anything I know."  
  
"But they've both tried to kill you!"  
  
"And Roger's tried to kill you, me, your father, mother! You need evidence! Which we don't have! If there's evidence then they can't doubt it and ignore the facts, but if there isn't evidence then he could make up some story about being jealous or something. You've only seen his good side until now you would still of continued seeing it, but they still see it. If we accuse him he'd probably challenge us and kill us. There would be doubt and dislike now but it wouldn't be enough. You know how court works and that would be what would happens, unless there is proof."  
  
"It's going to be hard since every time I see them I'll want to just go up to them and hit them."  
  
"I want to do that all the time, that or run away."  
  
"I still can't believe that Roger is trying to kill me." Alanna hugged him.  
  
"Ah, well get used to it." She told him smiling. He laughed softly.  
  
"This shouldn't be a laughing matter," he said while she came and sat on his knee.  
  
" But it is. Just imagine their faces if you just walk up and hit them in the face. Or if you run up behind them and push them in the lake and then run and hide so you can see them looking round trying to see who did it." He laughed.  
  
"What about a pile of manure?"  
  
"That would work to." She looked at the candle clock and saw that it was about 2 o'clock now. "We should get some sleep. It's 2 o'clock!" She sat up and took his hand and slowly walked back through to Jon's room.  
  
The next day after Alanna's lessons, Gary, Jon, Raoul and her were going riding when they saw Roger. They were standing outside the stables waiting for Raoul to finish saddling his horse. They had hid his horse's bridle and he had only just found it.  
  
The three of them were laughing about Raoul and him scowling at them. Alanna looked up and saw him. She stopped laughing, Jon saw she was looking at something; he followed her gaze and saw Roger.  
  
"Remember, manure!" Alanna muttered barely moving her lips. Jon burst out laughing and smiled at Roger. Roger waved and carried on walking away from them. Jon stopped smiling and glared at Roger's back for a few moments until Raoul came out the stables.  
  
"I hate him," Jon whispered in her ear while going round to his horse's side to mount up.  
  
  
  
Okay I know this chapter is really bad but I needed to put this in for the next few chapters. I am going to finish this story first before I get back to adding chapters to Sophia (the sequel). Which should only take me a few weeks, I'm almost finished this. * tear *  
  
Thanks for all the reviews and I will get the next part up if I get 13 reviews. I didn't get as many as that last time. So REVIEW! 


	16. chapter16

I know I've taken ages to post but I just couldn't be bothered to write a chapter for this fic. I ended up writing one for Sophia, which is the sequel for this fic. I'm not going to post that chapter until I finish this one, which I am getting closer, to.  
  
I have to apologise. I have to apologise about the star pendant I didn't realise that someone else had had that in their story, I got the idea from watching the Patriot where there was a star pendant and I have to say sorry about the name Sophia I got that name for a character because a girl I've known since primary 2 (age 6) and I liked the name.  
  
Since I'm getting to the end of this fic where I've only really got the showdown with Roger to write I've decided that if you review form now until the end I will make a character with you name. But only if you review this chapter and all the rest to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Look!" Raoul and Jon turned to where Gary was pointing. "It's Alanna."  
  
"How'd you know that's Alanna?" Jon asked.  
  
"Well isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, but she has a black wig on."  
  
"We know that and that she's Lady Lanna," Raoul told him.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah, we've known she was Lady Lanna since we first saw her, almost."  
  
"But the two of you decided to flirt with her anyway?"  
  
"Yeah, it was fun," Gary told him grinning looking at Raoul to check that he was smiling as well at the look on Jon's face. Jon hit Gary in the arm. Then when Raoul laughed he hit him to.  
  
"It's not fun flirting with my girlfriend," he said walking towards the young woman in the marketplace.  
  
"My Lady," he said tapping her on the shoulder. She spun round surprised and when she saw that it was Jon, relaxed. He took her hand bowing over it and kissing it.  
  
"Mistress Cooper, how nice to see you again. How are you?" she curtsied and replied then nudged Alanna.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Curtsy!" she hissed. She glared at Eleni then at Jonathan and finally curtsied to him. When she rose she saw that Gary and Raoul had joined them. Alanna made the introductions.  
  
"Well, I must leave you now. It has been a pleasure to meet and see you all again. Alanna Ill speak to you soon."  
  
"You don't have to go."  
  
"I feel old in the four of yours company. I have things to do. Farewell." She turned and walked away waving to them as she went.  
  
They talked for a while in the market before deciding what to do. Jon offered his arm to Alanna and she took it. All four of them walking away talking and laughing like normal.  
  
  
  
What they didn't see though was a small group of noble women.  
  
"Well, that must be her. Wait a minute it's Lady Lanna."  
  
"Oh really Cressidda? Oh wait it is!"  
  
"I thought you said that it wasn't Lanna, Dafeenie?"  
  
"I didn't think it was, remember she told me she was taken and so was Jonathan. They could just be friends. Really good friends, I'm talking about best friends, perhaps."  
  
"Admit it Dafeenie, you are wrong. It's Lanna."  
  
"But they've not known each other long. When, think about it he was like that before she even came along. It's been like that for almost a year and a half and she only appeared about 2 months ago."  
  
"But look at them together, and the same thing happened last time she was here. They couldn't keep their eyes off each other last time."  
  
"Fine, I still think that it isn't her but if you all think that then fine. Let's go!" Dafeenie said pushing past the rest of them to go see stoles at a stall. The rest of the women followed Dafeenie after a smug look exchanged between all of them before following her.  
  
  
  
At the Dancing Dove…  
  
"George!" Alanna called going over to his "throne" by the fire with the others following.  
  
It's you!" George said laughing. "In here, in a dress. I'd watch out for some of the men, looking like that."  
  
"You've got her blushing now." They all laughed apart from Alanna who went even redder. She flumped down into one of the chairs at the table George was at and the others did the same.  
  
"You feeling alright after that fall now? I haven't seen you much."  
  
"Don't worry I'm fine now." Jon coughed into his hand, which sounded like liar. She glared at him.  
  
"Yeah, she is lying." Gary told George.  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"You are. You're a lot more tired now. After you spend an hour on the courts you go and have a nap. Where you end up sleeping for over an hour."  
  
"Well, ok I'm just very tired all the time but apart form that, I'm fine."  
  
"Mmmh mmmh, so how is everything at the palace." George laughed, "You keep getting sly glances from the men and glares from the women." Jon scowled, while Alanna blushed and Gary and Raoul laughed.  
  
She went and leaned on Jon resting her head on his shoulder, he put his arm round her and smiled smugly. George looked around the room inconspicuously; he was a thief after all. It got the desired effect that they wanted, the women around at that time were smiling and the men were scowling.  
  
They stayed for a few hours before having to leave for dinner.  
  
"So who was that George?" Marek asked sitting in a chair opposite George while some others did the same eager to hear what George had to say.  
  
"A friend."  
  
"Does she have a name?"  
  
"Alanna, and she is out of your league by a long way. She's a noble and look who you'd have t' b' up against."  
  
"Yeah, lucky git Johnny is isn't he?" They all laughed.  
  
"Yeah, as long as he's in the picture no one has a chance so I wouldn't try because either her or her friends would beat you up and that includes me," he warned them threatenly.  
  
"Ok, ok. Who is she exactly?"  
  
"Alan's sister."  
  
"That'd explain th' eyes. Such pretty eyes, and everything else." They all laughed again apart from George who gave them a look to remind them of what he said. They all shut up pretty quickly after the look.  
  
"Will we get t' meet her again?"  
  
"Probably," George said smiling. 


	17. chapter17

People who I'll write in so far are Starfire, The Dark Lady, Kalika, Soph, Tarillyn (Tari), Lady Fire Eyes, Scarlet Mage, Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conté and Lady Lucy. Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conté can I change you to Lasof? And Soph, it's going to be hard to write you in unless I use Soph short for Sophia or you give me another name, so review and you can tell me which one you want. There's someone else as well. I'll add them in the next fic because that would mean having to go into another computer because the computer I write on doesn't have the net so I'd have to go into another room and log on and stuff like that.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jon I have 2 nights till my ordeal, Gods! I'm scared what if I don't pass? It'll seem like I failed because I'm a girl, then they'll think that girls can't fight!"  
  
"Shh, you'll be fine. No one has failed in years and you are a better fighter than most and you're smarter than a lot as well. You'll be fine." He drew her into a hug and kissed her head to calm her pacing.  
  
"But what if I do?" she fretted.  
  
"You'll pass. Don't think about it." He tilted her head up and kissed her swiftly and fiercely.  
  
"That might be hard. You are going to have to distract me a lot." She kissed him matching his fierceness from the previous kiss.  
  
"I think I might just be able to manage that." He blew out a candle and pulled Alanna down onto the bed.  
  
The two of them woke up to banging on Jon's outer door.  
  
"What is it?" Alanna asked groggily.  
  
"Someone's knocking on the door," he said rolling over putting his arm round Alanna. He was still half asleep and had the intention of going back to sleep.  
  
"Get up!" she said shaking him awake.  
  
"What? What?" he said startled as if he was just waking up.  
  
"Someone is banging on the door. Go get it! I can't can I?" Jon sighed and rolled out of the bed to find some breeches to put on.  
  
"Just coming!" he shouted and the banging stopped. He stumbled out of his bedchambers closing the door behind him. He went to the main door and opened it.  
  
"What is it?" he said yawning.  
  
"I'm sorry your majesty but, but I was told to get Squire Alan but he isn't in his rooms. His Grace told me to wake you your highness. He thought you might know where he is."  
  
"What?" he said frowning. "Oh, you want Alan. He isn't there."  
  
"My Lord Prince?"  
  
"Yeah? Oh, right I'll send Alan along to his grace when he gets back. He might be about an hour. Send my apologies to his Grace, I had to send Alan on an early morning errand, to keep him busy you know?"  
  
"Yes, my Lord. I'll tell his Grace, and I'm sorry for waking you." The servant bowed and Jon closed the door yawning. When he bowed his hat fell off. He sighed and bent down to pick it up. He thought he heard voices from inside the room. Although they were muffled he could make most of what was said. The door hadn't been shut properly.  
  
There's always lots of gossip about the Prince now and there was a few years back after he became a knight but now even more so. He'd had one girl after another until about a year and a half ago. There hadn't been any gossip about him in that area apart from that everyone suspects he has a girlfriend or boyfriend. Imagine if he knew if he did! He heard a woman's voice calling through. "Who was it?"  
  
"Someone for Allan. He has to meet the Duke in an hour. I said he was on an errand for me."  
  
"I can get some more sleep then. Come back to bed."  
  
"Gladly." The voice got quieter then he heard a woman's giggle. That was enough for him he knew what he had to know, quickly he closed the door quietly. Then straightened up and almost jogged away from the Prince's rooms. This is going to be an interesting story for everybody.  
  
"Your Grace?" Bowed Alanna.  
  
"Ah, Alan. I was expecting you an hour ago. But never mind now. I just wanted to speak to you before the ordeal. Wish you luck before it. You'll do fine. You're one of the best fencers I've seen. When you first started out with the sword I would not of thought you would be this good, but you worked hard and managed to master it, juts like anything else." He chuckled. "You're certainly the smallest boy I've ever taught as well." She laughed trying to cover her blush at what the Duke had said.  
  
I'm one of the best he'd ever taught and I'm a girl! It's hard to believe that the Duke said that about me. She thought.  
  
"Thank you, your Grace. You're to kind."  
  
"No pert remarks Alan? What's wrong with you?"  
  
"I couldn't think of any your Grace. And I mean that your Grace." Just then  
  
Timon knocked on the door and came in and bowed.  
  
"Your Grace. You have to meet the King in five minutes." Duke Gareth nodded in agreement to Timon and nodded a dismissal to Alanna.  
  
"Thank you Your Grace." She bowed and left.  
  
She started walking away from Duke Gareth's door back to her rooms.  
  
"What did Uncle want?" She jumped she hadn't seen Jonathan when she left the office.  
  
"Don't do that! You gave me a fright!" Jon laughed and fell into step beside her.  
  
"So what did Uncle want, squire?" she glared and then smiled nervously.  
  
"He just wanted to wish me luck before my ordeal." She swallowed hard and Jonathan noticed.  
  
"You won't need it. Come on we'll go down to the Dove."  
  
"We spend it seems half our lives there you know?"  
  
"Yup. I wouldn't have it any other way." He grinned and put his arm around her shoulders leading her away out of the castle down to the city.  
  
  
  
"You will never guess what I heard this morning!"  
  
"Come on tell us, what did you hear?"  
  
"Duke Gareth sent me to find Squire Alan this morning, so I went to his rooms. He wasn't there so I looked other places. Then I went and knocked on the Prince's room. After a long time just before I was going to go he shouted he was coming, so I waited. He came to the door only in breeches yawning and not really listening to me. I told him I was looking for Squire Alan and he looked at me blankly then told me he was out on an errand. So he closed the door but he didn't close it right. When I bowed my cap fell off, when I bent to pick it up I heard a woman's voice! She asked who it was so he said that it was for Alan. So she said, " good I can get more sleep then. Come back to bed."  
  
"Really? You not just making this up now are you?"  
  
"No I'm telling the truth! He said gladly and then I heard giggling. I closed the door pretty quickly after that."  
  
"So he does have a girlfriend. Come on Amyas! Pay up!"  
  
"What!"  
  
" I said I bet you he doesn't have a boyfriend and he doesn't so you owe me 5 nobles."  
  
"Yeah, you did but you never said he had a girlfriend."  
  
"Who has a girlfriend?"  
  
"Otti!"  
  
"What! All I heard was that you never said he has a girlfriend. So who does? Tell me, please? We have a right to know!"  
  
"Yeah, come on tell us!"  
  
"Zanty, not you to."  
  
"Just tell us and we'll give up or you won't find out anything from us in future."  
  
"Alright it was the Prince. Tenebris heard a woman tell him to come back to bed so she could get some more sleep and then he said happily or something like that and then he heard lots of giggling."  
  
"So Tene you win the pool."  
  
"Yup," he said grinning widely. The five servants were in the servants' mess. Zanty leaned to the table behind her and told one of the servants there. A few minutes later she turned back round to their table while the woman she was talking to turned to the person next to her.  
  
"I wonder who it is?"  
  
"Well we'll all know soon enough. It'll go all round us then to our lords and  
  
Ladies and Tene might hear her voice again. There'll be rumours going round upstairs who it is and someone down here will find out who it is which will go round. The palace is great for finding out things, you all know that."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The same thing from last time if you review from chapter 16 till the end I will add your name in the sequel. I'm always open to suggestions so either review or email me. 


	18. chapter18

"It's Squire Alan's night in the chamber. I hope he does alright."  
  
"Of course he will. He's one of the best squires we all know that. Look how he's saved the Prince's at least 3 times; the Ysandir, the Sweating Sickness and we heard from Gary how he saved him during the Drell Valley campaign. We all saw how well he could fight, Dain remember him?"  
  
"And he's nice. He's always polite and nice to us."  
  
"Cressidda, you're just saying those things because you want to become Lady Trebond."  
  
"So what! And because he is all of those things," she said quieter.  
  
"We will go down tomorrow to the chapel and watch him come out," Dafeenie directed. "We better go and get some sleep if we want to get up early to watch." The women all left Dafeenie's rooms to go to their own. They had spent that evening in Dafeenie's rooms talking and eating sweets in celebration of midwinter before they spend the rest of it with their families.  
  
  
  
"Has he come out yet?"  
  
"No, and where were you Dafeenie?"  
  
"I over slept and then I got stopped by Lord Honisoit in one of the halls and had to do the polite chit chat thing. And don't take that tone with me Lelinor! Whatever you may be thinking that was not the reason why I was late!"  
  
"Sorry," she mumbled. "Didn't he ask your father for the two of you to be married? He's older than your father isn't he? And you would have been his third wife."  
  
"Don't remind me."  
  
"Your lucky your father wants you to marry for love. You're from one of the richer families, they don't get involved in the politics of it that much if you can help it, so they are in favour of almost everyone, everyone of you are easy to get on with, your all smart, nice people no secret agendas and you are all good looking."  
  
"Thank you, I don't know what else to say to that. You are one of the best people I know, all of you. I couldn't ask for better friends. Oh, look he's coming out."  
  
The three women turned towards the opening chamber door. Squire Alan, no Sir Alan looks very bad, the poor man, thought Cressidda.  
  
The Prince quickly led the man away after a few words.  
  
  
  
"Lanna!" he said grabbing her into a hug after they got back to his rooms. She burst out into tears. He sat down on a chair pulling her onto his lap, cradling her.  
  
"Jon it was horrible," she choked.  
  
"Shh, it's alright now, it's over. You'll never have to go through that again. I promise."  
  
"I saw you lying there. You were so white and still and cold. And then there was Roger, he stood over you and smiled and took you're crown. I'll never forget that look, ever!" she shook.  
  
"It'll never happen you hear? I'll never let it." He sat with her for a while. He took her hand and she winced. He looked at them and saw that they were bloody. "I'll be back in a few minutes I'm going to get some things for your hands, ok? You should lie down, you'll be tired." She nodded.  
  
Jon lifted her up and took her to his bedroom. Gentle he put her down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. "Shh," he said smoothing her hair. He got up and put some water on the fire to heat up while he went and got some salve and bandages.  
  
He bandaged her hands and then sat beside her on the bed holding her hand as she dreamed. He tried to soothe her by smoothing her hair, holding her hand and offering what he hoped were comforting words. Her sleep was nightmare filled.  
  
Jon remembered his own ordeal and shivered. None of those memories were pleasant for him. He was thinking about his ordeal when after several tries he heard the knock on the main door in another room. He smoothed her hair again before leaving to get the door.  
  
"How's Alan?" Myles asked coming into the room pushing past Jonathan with Coram, Gary and Raoul following. Jon closed the door after them all.  
  
"Apart from his hands which look really sore, he's fine. He's sleeping."  
  
"He's in his rooms then?" Coram asked. Giving him a look like a man wanting to know where his daughter was and what her boyfriend had to do with it. Jon didn't seem to notice.  
  
"No, he's sleeping in mine," he said trailing off then realising what he said he stumbled a vague excuse using his hands which he doesn't normally do. "Well he couldn't quite remember where he put his keys because well, you see I can't find mine either. The door was locked and we couldn't be bothered getting into it the other way we would of because I take along time doing that and Alan would have been the one to do it but his hands and he was asleep on his feet. So I thought it would be quicker for him to sleep in my room and it would be easier for me to see to his hands. From there because that's where I keep all my bandages and things like that." Jon nodded confidently agreeing with himself thinking that he might have pulled that excuse of.  
  
  
  
He looked at Gary and Raoul out of the side of his eyes to avoid the look Coram was giving him. It was the one he'd seen him give Alanna several times, he had his eyebrows raised and his head was drawn back and looking at him with it slightly tilted to it's side, it was a look of disbelief. He chose to ignore it and frowned when he saw that Gary and Raoul were trying to hide their laughter under their hands.  
  
Faithful chose just that moment to come out of Jon's room where Alanna was sleeping and slowly walked over to the door connecting Alanna and Jon's rooms. They all watched him come out of the room curious about what he was going to do. He put out one of his front paws and pressed gently on the door. The door slowly opened slightly. He looked at Jon and gave him a smug look.  
  
You thought you could get away with that crap excuse? You could of at least made sure the door was locked. They all know or have guessed about the two of you. Even you knew that! Faithful told him.  
  
"What did I do to you today?" They all turned to Jon then back again at Faithful because they knew he was going to say something to Jon.  
  
You never gave me a piece of that bacon this morning, he told them all. Gary and Raoul sniggered again.  
  
"I would have just gave him the piece of bacon," Gary remarked.  
  
"I was eating it at the time!" They all laughed at that while Jon glared at the cat.  
  
"Are you going to tell us the real reason? We're all curious now," Myles asked, his amusement showing slightly. "Come on Jonathan, we're all waiting."  
  
"Well, well, I don't need to say anything. I better go check on Alanna." He quickly turned and walked very quickly into his bedroom. Coram, Gary and Raoul all stared at Jon's retreating form at his slip of Alanna. Myles laughed at the look they all had. They were glancing nervously at Myles.  
  
"Will you all stop looking at me like that please? I've known for about 6 years."  
  
"She never said anything about that to us. Even when we asked who knew," Gary grumbled.  
  
"That is because she doesn't know I know. I think she guesses that I know though."  
  
"How did you guess?"  
  
"I heard her speak, the women she would be and I heard Jon speak as well and he didn't sound like a 15 year old boy more like a 30 year old man. So if that was his voice in the future and young 12 year old Alan's voice was that of a women it leaves you thinking." Jon came back then.  
  
"Oh, that doesn't make me feel so stupid about not guessing before I found out," Raoul said.  
  
"How did you find out? Did she tell you?" Raoul and Gary laughed when Myles said this. Jon shot him a warning look.  
  
"We actually found at the same time, and it was like how you found out. Last year about a couple of weeks before the accident."  
  
"You heard her talking?"  
  
"Let's just say you should always lock your doors and knock before you go through one." Gary and Raoul couldn't hold it in any longer and began laughing hysterically. Jon glared at the two of them and they both shut up.  
  
"Are you telling us what we think you are?" Coram demanded shocked.  
  
"No, no, no, we didn't see anything just that you couldn't really mistake them being Alan and the feminine shape," Gary told him.  
  
"If I remember right it was Raoul who pieced it together first. You were pacing saying along the lines of what are you doing and didn't notice that it was a woman." Raoul laughed as Jon pointed out the fact to Gary.  
  
"But how did you find out?"  
  
"We woke her up one morning," Raoul said tactfully.  
  
"But why would Gary be pacing and saying what are you doing?" Gary's face lit up with the intention of telling Myles and Coram exactly how it happened so as to explain why he was pacing and not being able to figure it out. He looked at Jon and smiled sympathetically.  
  
"I was pacing because she wasn't on her own and it didn't look very good. All I saw was two people who I thought off as guys so you can figure out the rest."  
  
"Oh," Myles said lightly. Then more seriously and slightly outraged. "Oh!"  
  
"Oops," was the only response they heard from Gary.  
  
"Jonathan?" Coram asked with that look again. Oh, oh I'm in trouble. The two of them will give me the father talk, Jonathan thought looking around him for an escape route. Damn! There isn't one.  
  
"It's alright for us to go check on her isn't it?" Raoul asked.  
  
"Yeah, should be. Send the cat in first though since the door is open." Raoul and Gary left picking up Faithful who was unwilling to go, instead wanting to hear what they were going to say to Jonathan. Raoul closed the door behind him. 


	19. chapter19

"Ah, Myles, Coram, something wrong?" he said smiling. How do I get out of this? he thought, hoping that he looked calm on the outside. He could just hear his father saying, after the lecture on how to act properly for a Crown Prince, to do with women, that it would be the perfect opportunity to practise being calm. Jonathan didn't think it was working. It wasn't.  
  
"Jonathan, sit!" Coram growled.  
  
"Okay," Jonathan replied meekly sitting down quickly on the closest chair.  
  
"Perhaps you should explain," Myles said standing up and crossing his arms with Coram mirroring him. Jon squirmed in the seat and moved further back in the chair.  
  
"Well," Jon stumbled. " We had been talking and well, she fell asleep and so did I."  
  
"What was wrong with her room?"  
  
  
  
"What're they saying?" Raoul hissed.  
  
"If you shut up then I'd tell you."  
  
"What are the two of you doing?" The two of them jumped.  
  
"Lanna don't sneak up on us like that!" Raoul hissed again. Before turning back towards the door leaving Gary to explain. He moved out the way and Raoul moved into his vacant position by the door. Gary steered Alanna away from the door. She wrapped her blanket around her a little more.  
  
"Jon's in trouble from Coram and Myles in the father sense."  
  
"Oh, Oh!" she said realising what was happening. She walked quickly over to the door. "Move over a bit to let me in," she whispered getting infront of Raoul. She sat on the ground and leaned her ear next to the door.  
  
Learn from the master, Faithful said stalking past them all touching his paw to the door. A small patch of the door went see through allowing them to see what was happening in the other room. They could also hear what was being said easier now.  
  
  
  
"Nothing was wrong with her room. Just we were talking in my room and she fell asleep and I wasn't going to carry her. I probably would of tripped and we'd of gone flying. Then I'd get my head bitten off."  
  
"So nothing's going on?"  
  
"She is my best friend."  
  
"Jonathan, do you think we're stupid?" Myles asked.  
  
"Do you want me to answer that?" The four behind the door stifled a laugh.  
  
"So how long has it been going on? I seem to remember an incident during the Drell River Campaign, before then?"  
  
"No, after."  
  
"So something is going on?"  
  
"Shit!" he cursed.  
  
"What incident?" Coram asked.  
  
"Yeah 'Lanna what incident?" Gary whispered. She elbowed him.  
  
"No, you didn't. The cat used to keep a running commentary on who was coming towards our tent." Jon pointed out. Then quickly added, "Not that anything did happen."  
  
"Then what did I interrupt?"  
  
"Just two friends talking."  
  
"One who happened to be bright red the other pale. With one of them picking up a book since it looked like they were doing something else. You can tell when you interrupt something you know? Then the way you acted when she was taken, you were a lot more worried than a friend would be and you know it."  
  
"You've gone bright red again just like Jon has now," Raoul whispered to Gary and Alanna. She hit him softly in the stomach.  
  
"Your Highness, if you admit it quickly we'll get the speech over and done with," Coram told him moving closer to Jon in a threatening way. He could be seen swallowing.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I'm in love with Alanna." There was a very heavy silence, which lasted for several long minutes.  
  
"Say something!" Jon muttered. Gary and Raoul turned from looking at Alanna back to the door.  
  
"I hadn't expected that answer. You in love with your former squire?"  
  
"That sounds bad. That mistake has been made before. Instead say, "You're in love with a woman who was your squire."  
  
"Enough with that. If you upset her in anyway remember, it'd be a former soldier, a mature knight and a mage of the master class who will make sure you get lots of pain. Because don't doubt us we'll get Thom involved and he can make sure there's be no trace of anything that would connect it with us.  
  
"She's like a daughter to us, and imagine how a father feels when they find out that she is sleeping with someone?"  
  
The four behind the door smothered another laugh and leaned against the door. The door suddenly gave way. The three humans fell over, through the doorway and were sprawled on the floor. Jon, Myles and Coram looked at them.  
  
Jonathan gave them a look of gratitude. Alanna smiled at him briefly in return and got up quickly. Raoul and Gary were both getting up and Raoul offered his hand out to Alanna. She took his hand then smacked him on the side of the arm.  
  
"Raoul!" Gary and Alanna chorused. The two of them turned and looked at him as though it was his entire fault.  
  
"What! It wasn't just me!"  
  
"I'm too light to knock that door open when it's shut, so it must have been one of the two of you," she stated crossing her arms.  
  
"Ah hem," Coram coughed. Alanna and Gary turned round towards him and smiled sweetly.  
  
"Oh, do you hear that? Coming Faithful!" Jon said not waiting for an answer. He quickly got up and walked briskly out the room. Alanna, Raoul and Gary collapsed laughing, as soon as Jon was out of sight. They saw him go out a door into the corridor. The three of them turned round towards Coram and Myles and froze.  
  
"I don't know why your laughing we still have to speak to you!" Myles told her.  
  
"Oh, no, you're not having that talk with me! You should leave that talk to my mother," she told them stubbornly crossing her arms.  
  
"Alanna your mother died."  
  
"I know that but my substitute mothers have told me all they should of so, no need for the two of you to tell me," she said brightly with a cheery smile. "So if you'll excuse me? I'm going to get changed." She walked across the room to her bedroom door and went in, closing the door behind her before anyone else was able to say anything. 


	20. chapter20

That was a mouthful! I'm sorry this is so long but I wanted to get that part finished from the book. I have copied a lot from the book so I have to probably put out a disclaimer again. What you recognise belongs to Tamora Pierce and not me.  
  
At Dinner..  
  
Thom was sitting next to Duke Roger when Alanna noticed something was wrong with the Queen. She was pale and trembling.  
  
She remembered what she saw in the Chamber. She touched the ember stone at her throat and saw what she expected to see, the Queen was glowing an orange colour that Alanna had seen many times before. Roger, she thought.  
  
She clenched her teeth in anger and realised that she had to act now. Geoffrey, who was sitting next to her noticed the look she had on her face, he had seen the determination and anger on his face often enough it was easy for him to recognise.  
  
He was just about to ask her what was wrong when she stood up and excused herself. I wonder what's wrong with him, he thought.  
  
Alanna hurried to her room where she found Faithful. You're taking a risk. If he finds you, he'll kill you! Faithful told her while she searched for the lock picks that George had given her.  
  
"Then we mustn't get caught!"  
  
We?  
  
"Yes, we. You're coming to be guard."  
  
She broke into the Duke of Conté's rooms. She knew she wouldn't find anything in the main rooms he'd have the physical evidence that she needed in another, private room. She saw the door and blasted the lock open.  
  
Looking round the workbenches she found many books, some she knew, some she had heard of. There were many crystals of all different sizes and colours. Some she refused to touch.  
  
She heard the soft splashing of water and turned looking round the room for the source. There was a fountain at the back of the room. The water came out of the wall and splashed over rocks with flowering moss on them. Curious as to why the fountain was there she went over and looked at it.  
  
Looking closely she saw a wax doll and a bundle of something wrapped in a silvery cloth. After much hesitation she picked both of them up and carried them over to a workbench to get a closer look.  
  
The doll was a perfect model of the Queen; the doll was even wearing a replica of her favourite gown. The doll had been in the water for a long time: the features on the face had almost disappeared and the colour was washed from the gown. Alanna knew this spell: the sorcerer made an image of their victim and placed it in running water, the person represented by the doll wasted away quickly or slowly, fading into death. Roger had used the finest wax that money could buy, and Alanna suspected that he had taken the doll out of the water ever so often to make the Queens illness and eventual death seem natural.  
  
She put the doll aside, trembling and then looked at the bundle. Lifting the bundle less carefully this time, she saw the tear in the side too late. Another tiny doll fell out of the bundle and struck the table. Alanna yelled, her side suddenly felt like one massive bruise. Biting her fist to stop herself from making anymore noise, she picked the image up. It was of course an image of her. She examined the bundle more closely. The tear was long and thin, nearly invisible against the fine-woven silk. Her hands throbbed; she remembered how they had felt the morning of her Ordeal as if she was trying to tear a hole in tightly woven cloth. Drawing her dagger, she cut the string that held the bundle closed and carefully opened it up on the table's surface. Figures that bore eerie resemblances to the King, Duke Gareth, Myles, the Lord Provost and even Jonathan lay revealed before her eyes.  
  
Jonathan sat up straighter and looked around him as though he was just seeing everything clearly. Everything seemed sharper, not just the room and people but thoughts. His fell on Roger and it finally struck him. He's trying to kill me! He's trying to kill my mother! And Father! He slumped back down in his chair and looked around himself frantically. Calm down! It's not going to help if you go into frenzy and make yourself ill or he might find out you know and kill you as soon as he gets a chance. How will that help? So calm down, a sensibly part of him told the other parts. He took some deep breaths and sat up straight again. He was still pale but he thought he was ready to act normally again.  
  
"Jon, what's wrong?" Gary asked concerned.  
  
"Nothing, nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?"  
  
"You were just acting a little strange that's all."  
  
"Oh, well nothing's wrong with me. Where's 'Lanna gone?" he asked looking over at her empty seat and changing the subject.  
  
"Don't know, she's gone somewhere, to neaten her hair maybe?" Jon laughed.  
  
"Yeah, maybe. I get the feeling she's getting herself in trouble again."  
  
"She always is, what difference is it going to make this time?"  
  
"No punishment work!"  
  
"Exactly!" the two of them laughed, Jon a little uneasily.  
  
What are you going to do now? You've broken all those silly rules of chivalry to get this far. What next? Faithful enquired.  
  
"Roger can't be allowed to go on this way. When he comes back tonight, he'll know I took them. So, if my friends and I are to survive his finding out, I'd better do something about Roger of Conté right now."  
  
Alanna returned to the banquet hall, the veil and it's contents in her hand. She stopped to ask Myles and Jon, she asked them to join her before the King's table.  
  
"Why?" Jon asked.  
  
"Because, I've got proof." She looked over at Thom who was exchanging stories with Raoul and Gary, and caught his eye. Thom excused himself and came and stood next to her. She took a deep breath and walked up to the long table infront of the two thrones, bowing low to the King and Queen. Only when she felt Myles, Thom and Jonathan at her back, did she begin to speak.  
  
Great Mother, help me with this, she pleaded silently when Roald acknowledged her. I don't know if this is how you wanted me to do this, but it's the only way I know.  
  
"Majesty," she said clearly, making sure everyone could hear her voice, "I have done a dishonourable thing." The great hall was suddenly quiet. Alanna drew a deep breath and went on. "I broke into a man's chambers tonight. I knew this was dishonourable, and I did it anyway. What I did was wrong. What I thought to find-what I did find- was far worse."  
  
She placed the veil and the images inside it on the table before the King. Lianne cried out in horror, shrinking away from the little dolls made to represent her, her husband, her son and her brother. The King and Duke Gareth were pale; the Provost, peering round his neighbour's shoulder, turned red with fury. Thom reached out curiously for a moment before remembering it would not be a good idea to handle those images. There was no reading the emotions either Jonathan or Myles was feeling-perhaps it was just as well.  
  
Alanna looked at Roger. The sorcerer could see what she had put before his uncle; he was gripping the arms of his chair with his white-knuckled hands. Their eyes met.  
  
"Shall I tell them where I found these, Your Grace?" she challenged loudly. "Shall I tell them about the little fountain in your private work room where the Queen's image lay under running water, wasting away little by little? Shall I-"  
  
"Liar!" Roger snarled. "Majesty, Sir Alan has long been jealous of my influence with you and my cousin Jonathan. He now seeks to dishonour me in your eyes by showing you these dolls he created and accusing me of casting such spells!"  
  
"For what reason?" Alanna asked King Roald. "Why would I wish the Queen harm? She is the mother of my Prince and my friend. She has been kind to me. I do not gain by harming her, just as I do not gain form veiling the sight of those who could stop me from stealing a throne that is not mine!"  
  
"Liar!" Roger cried, standing to point an accusing finger at her. "Do you deny that you have the skill to place such a spell? Do you deny that you have the knowledge, when I taught image-magic to you myself? You planned to kill their Majesties, so that when Jonathan became King, you would be the most powerful knight in the realm."  
  
"That is very interesting." Myles looked at Roger, his gentle eyes hard. "Carry that thinking a step further and suppose the death of Prince Jonathan. Who would gain? I submit, Roger that you would gain as the next King of Tortall."  
  
"It's a plot against me!" Roger cried, looking around him. "Myles tries to turn you all against me while this young man gives false evidence!" He stopped waiting for the King to say something. The only sound was in the banquet hall was the Queen weeping softly into Duke Gareth's shoulder. Roger looked for a friendly face and found none. His mouth tightened. " I demand my rights. I demand trial by combat, myself against my accuser." He pointed to Alanna. "If I lie, Sir Alan will win by the will of the gods. But I say I will win, because I am innocent!"  
  
The silence grew as everyone waited for King Roald's decision. The King picked up the image of himself, turning it over in his fingers. "You may have the combat," he said.  
  
"As the accused, I may choose the time," Roger said quickly. "Let it be now, before Sir Alan's lies spread and poison people's minds against me."  
  
Alanna felt chilly and very old. She would have known that Roger would want to fight now, while she was still weary and sore from the Ordeal. She looked at her bandaged hands.  
  
"This time or any other is of no matter to me," she said, her voice bored. "I believe Duke Roger to be plotting against the lives of my Prince and my friends. The sooner they will be safe."  
  
"In one hour," ruled the King. "We meet in the Great Throne Room." 


	21. Proof

My website is www.geocities.com/purpleblue34/main.html  
  
"Don't you know what you're doing!" Jon snapped angrily at Alanna, following her out the throne room. She turned round quickly, "No, but I have no-" Gary and Raoul were waiting for them just outside the throne room.  
  
"Is it true?"  
  
"Of course it is!" she snapped. "I just- not here, come with me." She ran her hands through her hair nervously. They followed silently behind her to Jon and Alanna's rooms with Jon shooting angry looks at her.  
  
Once in her room she turned on Jon, "Will you stop glaring at me!"  
  
"He'll kill you! You know he won't fight fair! He's a good swordsman and a very powerful mage. You know what he's capable of!"  
  
"Don't you think I don't know that? It's going to be a fight to the death you know that, I know that, he knows that! I can use a sword well enough and I can use magic also."  
  
"Yes, I know that but he hasn't just been through the Ordeal or has bandaged hands!"  
  
"I know that," she pleaded quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jon told her meeting her eyes apologetically. Letting his eyes tell her everything. He was worried for her; afraid she might die, angry with Roger and most of all his love for her.  
  
Gary and Raoul felt invisible to them both, letting them show what they feel for each other possible for the last time.  
  
Alanna looked into the sapphire eyes she loves so much telling him that she loved him and letting him know she was scared too; of Roger, of dieing, of this possibly being the last hour she'll ever spend with him.  
  
Alanna was the first to break the look. That kind of show of emotions was almost too much for her. Then it seemed for the first time since they entered the room that Raoul and Gary were acknowledged.  
  
"You both knew?"  
  
"Yes," Alanna replied to Gary who seemed to be in partial shock.  
  
"How long?" it was Raoul who asked the question now.  
  
" Six years, and Jon a couple of months."  
  
"Six years!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"When six years ago?"  
  
"The Sweating Sickness. It just all came together. Then when I met him, there was something about him."  
  
"I remember that. You seemed terrified of him."  
  
"I still am," she remarked quietly looking away from them out the window.  
  
"If you've known about this for six months then why? Why now?" Gary asked.  
  
"I didn't have any proof. We both knew the other knew. We basically admitted it to each other. He knew I couldn't get any proof and He's too smart to get anything on him."  
  
"Then how did you get any evidence?"  
  
"As I said I broke into his rooms. I fainted twice, but I managed to get what I needed. Then you saw the rest and will see what's after." There was a knock at the door and Myles, Coram and Thom entered.  
  
"So little sister you've finally got your dream and it all might end in an hour."  
  
"I'm not your little sister!" Alanna proclaimed. Thom looked down at her from his height he was the bigger one. "What do you mean by might?"  
  
"The out come of your little "dual" is uncertain. The future is cloudy. Either it is not known how it will end or I'm not being permitted to see what happens." Alanna looked at the cat for answers. He was pacing the table angrily, his tail to the ceiling and his back arched. He stopped his pacing and looked at Alanna.  
  
Even the Gods do not know everything. There are certain people who can change events that ultimately change the future. If one of these people does what is considered by some to be a very insignificant thing it can cause drastic changes in the future. The fight is one of these moments. The Gods are unsure of what will happen that means it can end in many different ways. It depends if Alanna parries left or right it can come down to that or what you will do when he cheats. That much is certain he will not fight fairly but that should not matter to you. You can still win; he said this to mainly Alanna but to the rest of the room as well.  
  
They all paused in thought; to think about the words Faithful had spoken.  
  
"I need to get ready," Alanna, remarked after some time.  
  
"I'll get Lightening."  
  
"Thanks Coram." He ruffled her hair as he walked past to get lightening from her rooms. She started doing stretches while everyone was exchanging glances. Coram had come back in just over a minute with Lightening placing it on the table next to her.  
  
Alanna was still doing these stretches when George came. There was a quiet knock on the door and curious glances exchanged as to who the person would be at the door. Thom opened a door and a monk came in.  
  
"George!" she hugged him. "You shouldn't be here lots of people know what you look like." George was receiving questionable looks from all and it seems that Coram still doesn't approve of Alanna being friends with George. To the unasked questions, "Stephen has messenger pigeons."  
  
"I wouldn't miss this for the world. Even with the Provost and others about."  
  
There was another knock on the door. Making sure that George had his hood on his robes up Alanna opened the door.  
  
"Squire- Sir Alan, it's time," Timon, Duke Gareth's personal servant told her. "Is it really true about his Grace?"  
  
"As true as I'm standing here. Could you give us a minute please?" the last part was directed at everyone apart from Jonathan. Everyone filed out the door to wait for the two of them outside. Thom closed the door behind him.  
  
Alanna flew into Jon's out stretched arms. "I love you," they both told each other at the same time. Jonathan gently tilted up Alanna's chin and kissed her with all the passion that a last kiss could have, between two lovers thinking the worst, that they will be torn from each other and with the knowledge that if she losses her fight then they will both die. 


	22. The Fight!

AN: Oooooo, it's getting exciting now. I've almost finished this now, finally! A couple more chapters and I'll have finished this part of the series. Then I have Sophia and Sophia part 2, which is going to go under a name change because I don't like calling it that. It's about Sophia from age 18. Ok and here is the exciting part, well for me, I am in a search engine! Ok, I've calmed down a bit now, I was just excited about it.  
  
"Let the combat begin," King Roald's voice rang out through the Great Throne Room. The two swords were brought up instantly. They circled each other carefully calculating what moves to make and who would make them first. It was Roger. He was trying to draw her out by feigning left and right repeatedly. He wanted her to attack.  
  
Roger's impatience finally got the better of him. He swung at her side, quickly moving she blocked him and moved out of the way quickly. Her hands hurt holding lightening. She would have to remember to be careful.  
  
Roger was trying to use up her energy. Alanna started dodging instead of blocking now, but Roger was quick. The pain from her hands was moving up her arm and had stopped at her shoulder. The cuts on her sword hand were now bleeding through the bandages.  
  
Roger had just swapped hands, or did he have two swords? Out of the corner of her mind she could hear Thom shouting, "Foul! He's using an illusion!" She knew though that no one would try and stop them. Roger could kill her just by muttering a word and everyone knew it.  
  
Roger lunched she only managed to get out the way with a lucky step. He had placed an illusion on himself, Thom was right. Alanna pulled the ember-stone from under her shirt. The illusion sword glowed with the colour of Roger's gift. Alanna blocked him coming body-to-body with the older, stronger, larger man. He forced her to his knees. She dropped to the floor and rolled away.  
  
The Duke changed the hands he held his sword in several times. The next time he swapped hands Alanna lunged, going for his right arm. Roger yelled as her sword scratched the muscle. Making a quick recovery Roger lunged back and struck. Alanna stumbled, the tip of Roger's sword moving down her chest from her collarbone to waist.  
  
The corset she wore sometimes was cut through. It slid down, it's lacings cut, revealing through the shirt it's lacings and Alanna's breasts (to her great embarrassment).  
  
Roger dropped his sword and moved back, his eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Halt!" Roald roared jumping up, moving a couple of steps infront of the throne as the room erupted in whispers and gasps. "WHAT! Is going on here?"  
  
"You better do something about that. I'll explain," Thom told her moving forward out of the crowd. Eyes were now moving between Thom and what appears to be a young woman. She quickly went behind a curtain glad that the truth had finally came out, but not in that fashion.  
  
"You'll have to excuse my sister, Majesties." Shaking her head over Thom's nerve, she overlapped the ends of her shirt and breeches.  
  
"You see, she wanted to be a knight. I wanted to be a sorcerer. We traded places. I think I may have had the better part of the bargain; I didn't have to lie to people I liked and respected all these years. Here. I brought our birth papers. Her name is Alanna. We're twins."  
  
"Who knew of this?" the King's voice was low and dangerous as Alanna stepped out form behind the curtain. "Who knew?"  
  
"I knew," Jonathan's voice was strong and clear. "I've known since the Black City."  
  
"I knew," commented Coram in a shamefaced rumbled.  
  
Gary stepped forward, "I knew."  
  
Raoul echoed Gary.  
  
"And I knew," Myles said. "I've known since Alan-Alanna-cured Jonathan of the Sweating Sickness, Majesty."  
  
The King looked at Alanna. "What have you to say for yourself?"  
  
Alanna met his eyes squarely. "I hated lying to you," she admitted. "I wanted to tell; but I couldn't. Would you of let me win my shield if I had told the truth?" The King's silence was enough to answer. "I've tried to be honest about everything else. I can't regret what I did."  
  
Roger snarled, screaming at her, "You demon! You lying, cheating-" He attacked suddenly. Alanna's anger exploded inside her. He was her enemy; he had tried to kill the people she loved. And he was acting as though he was the one wronged. She came to life.  
  
Slashing at him, she cut his hair, his tunic. Desperately he blocked but it wasn't enough. Suddenly an orange cloud appeared round the Duke, moving towards Alanna, Jonathan and the King. Alanna saw the danger towards them and forgot her own.  
  
The cloud was blinding, quickly thrusting Lightening into the centre of the cloud she heard a scream. She pulled the sword out and thrust it back into the cloud this time harder. Roger stood, trying to pull the sword out of his body. She let go off Lightening stumbling backwards. Roger's shirt had a large red stain quickly spreading from his chest.  
  
"One of us finally managed it," he gasped barely audible even for Alanna. With that last breath he fell slowly to the floor.  
  
She looked in horror at what she's done. Pulling her eyes away from his body, looking from one face to another. They all held a look of horror.  
  
Her eyes strayed to the faces of those most important to her. It was there that she found the most hurtful faces, that she could ever remember or expect. The looks on Myles, Thom, Jonathan, she would never forget them. They were forever burnt on her mind.  
  
AN: I've finally got that chapter over and done with. I predict maybe 2-3 chapters left maybe 4. R&R to tell me what you think of this chapter. If you've got any questions about anything in WTYHAG or Sophia or after that then email me and I'll try and answer your questions. Thanks you to all that reviewed I like them and what about the people who didn't? why not? 


	23. chapter 23

Alanna stumbled farther away from Roger. The pool of blood on the floor was spreading from underneath the body. She dropped to her knees; Lightening fell with a clang in the now silent Throne Room. Alanna's hands were now bleeding profoundly, the pain in her arm almost unbearable.  
  
Her head swam with wariness, the silence in the room oppressive, the pain in her hands and arms agonizing. It was all just too much for her; her ordeal, killing Roger, everyone knowing the truth, the looks on her loved ones faces and those she didn't know.  
  
He saw her fall on her knees looking at Roger's body in disbelief. It was finally over, she had killed him. The man who had put her through so much over the years, where she could only tell a few people for fear of her life. Afraid that he'll find out her secret and reveal her to so many, kill those she holds dear and almost succeeded. She had looked at him through the crowds helplessly. To have done this infront of the whole Court was the worst outcome she could have imagined. She hated people taking notice of her especial something like this.  
  
Then, she wavered and fell to the side collapsing in a heap. He was one of the first to reach her. He knelt down beside her taking his hand in his, "'Lanna, come on wake up!" Thom was right behind him.  
  
"Let me see him-her," Duke Baird was almost as quick to get to Alanna as Jon and Thom. Jon pulled his hand away from her as he let Duke Baird next to her. He moved rather reluctantly. He saw his hand was stained red with blood as he brought it away from his lover's side. He showed it to Duke Baird.  
  
Jonathan risked a brief glance at his cousin's body. Looking as though he was asleep. He wasn't, he knew that of course but it just didn't seem real. He turned back to Alanna, the woman he loved.  
  
"Will you carry her for me please?"  
  
"Of course," Jonathan bent down and picked Alanna up in his arms. She looked like Roger, asleep. He glanced between the two of them. "Is she alright?"  
  
"Yes, she'll be fine in a couple of days. She's just been through a lot that's all. I'll sort out everything at the Infirmary once we get there."  
  
"What about-?" Jonathan looked down Roger where he was lying. No one quite knew what to do about the so-called traitor.  
  
"I'll handle it," Baird told him quietly. "I think it's best if we go to the infirmary first though." Jonathan shifted his hold on Alanna before walking out of the Throne Room with Duke Baird.  
  
A day later.  
  
"You're awake!" Jonathan remarked relieved.  
  
"What-where am I?" Alanna was lying on a hospital bed once more.  
  
"You're in the infirmary. I'll go and get Baird. He told me to come and get him if you woke up." Jonathan rose from his chair next to her and went and got Duke Baird.  
  
"Ah, you're awake finally." Alanna smiled groggily. "Jonathan could you please wait outside."  
  
"I'll go tell people that you're awake." Jonathan left the room. Baird sat on the side of the bed and took her wrist.  
  
"How are you feeling?" She made a face. "I for one can say I was very surprised. It also made a lot of sense. I was never really allowed that near you were I? Which was why." Alanna looked at him with a confused look on her face. "You don't remember?" Alanna frowned. Then the memory came back to her and the look of anguish on her face.  
  
"I do. Just not here."  
  
"You collapsed."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It got too much for you and you just collapsed. I'm going to keep you in for a couple of days. Give you some time away from the rest of the palace. Then if you want you can go and hide in your rooms. Do you want me to send them in now?"  
  
"No, I don't want to see any of them."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Alright then. Do you want me to get you some books?"  
  
"That would be nice thank you. It'd save me going crazy."  
  
"I'm afraid at the moment though they'll only be the ones that I've got in the infirmary. I don't have anytime at the moment to go and get any from a libraery till the end of the day."  
  
"That's ok. I might actually learn something from them." He smiled kindly at her getting up. "Rest though."  
  
"Is it ok for us to go in now?"  
  
"No, she needs to rest."  
  
"We won't stay long."  
  
"I'm sorry, there's too many of you anyway."  
  
"Then could you let us go in one by one?"  
  
"She's exhausted and she's not up for visitors."  
  
"Two minutes, please?"  
  
"I'm sorry, tomorrow maybe."  
  
"Your Grace what's the real reason?"  
  
"Jonathan that is the real reason."  
  
"No it's not."  
  
"She doesn't want any visitors."  
  
"She doesn't want to see us?"  
  
"Not at the moment. I don't think she's up to seeing any one at the moment."  
  
"When will she?"  
  
"It's up to her and if we've finished here you're all clogging up my Infirmary. If you want to see her, which probably won't be for a while then wait in the waiting room.  
  
Alanna lay in the bed listening to Duke Baird speak to Jonathan, Gary, Raoul, Thom and Myles. She couldn't face them not yet. She could hear them all leaving, Baird had got rid of them.  
  
Rolling onto her side and pulling the blankets up to her neck she let the tears come. The looks on their faces coming back to her now. Looking at her as though she was a monster. Before crying herself into a restless slumber. 


	24. Gossip

"Have you spoken to Lady Alanna yet?"  
  
"Sir Alanna father. She won her shield like every knight does by working for it. She passed the Ordeal. That's not easy you remember what it's like don't you?"  
  
"How could I forget?" Jonathan was in his parents' rooms having lunch with them. Roger had been buried barley an hour before.  
  
"She has saved your life, mother's life and my life. Why can't you see that? We'd be dead now if it wasn't for her."  
  
"We don't know that! Do we?"  
  
"We do know that he tried to kill us. Roger would of succeeded if it wasn't for her years ago. I would of died during the Sweating Sickness at 14. I'm 20 now. There's also the Black City, she saved my life there. I wouldn't be around now without her help."  
  
"She pretended to be a boy for eight years and lied about it. She lied to everyone. She should never have been able to get her shield."  
  
"There have been female knights before. What is so bad about having them now?"  
  
"We can't have female knights. There was a reason why it was outlawed for girls to train as a page."  
  
"And what exactly is that reason?"  
  
"To protect them. They should be kept at home, safe looking after their children."  
  
"Not every girl would want to be a knight just some of them. The others would be able to stay at home 'safely' and look after the children but there will always be some who don't or they want both. You won't be able to stop girls wanting to be knights. They have a right to defend the Realm just like any man; it's their country to. Mother, surely you must agree with that?"  
  
"Don't bring me into this argument," Lianne picked up her tea and calmly drunk it, looking on calmly at the two men. The only show of her emotions towards the argument was a slight look of irritation.  
  
"Jonathan you are just defending your friend, but would you have this view on female fighters if you were not her friend?"  
  
"No, but I'm glad I do. I have watched her save my life, Alanna is far more than capable of being a knight." Jonathan looked down and smiled. "I can see we aren't going to agree on this."  
  
"I don't think we will. Let's just leave it that for now? Especially today." "Fine." There were several moments of silence where glances weren't exchanged and tea was drunk.  
  
"How is Lady Alanna?" Lianne asked, she was silently insisting to calling Alanna Lady instead of Sir. Jonathan couldn't bring himself to chide his mother. She was trying not to let it show, but Roger was still having an effect on her, even after his death. King Roald visibly tensed at the mention of Alanna's well being.  
  
"She's fine I think."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"She isn't seeing anyone."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She doesn't want to see anyone."  
  
  
  
  
  
The servants' mess.  
  
"I still can't believe she's a she. Eight years everyone thought she was a boy!"  
  
"But the Prince, he knew. He lived with her for four years."  
  
"Do you think they ever went past friends?"  
  
"He did live with her for four years. He has the prettiest women throwing themselves at his feet-"  
  
"That woman Tené heard in his room!"  
  
"Tenébris was it her?"  
  
"It could o' been. Le' me think." A look of thought passed over his face. "I'd need tae hear her speak normally, as a woman. But yeah, I think it was her."  
  
"Imagine, the Crown Prince and the first female Knight in o'er tae hundred years! And she killed his cousin."  
  
"I just thought of something."  
  
"Did it hurt?"  
  
"Not as much as your do. But you know how she's taken meals in her rooms?" There were nods of understanding. "Well, get someone to swap with Tené, so he can give her, her meal tonight and then we'll know."  
  
"I'll go and see." One of the group of servants rose off of her bench and went over to a list on the wall. She came back several minutes later after reading it.  
  
"The person in charge of us to give out private meals tonight is, wait for it, Careé." Tari said smiling.  
  
"I don't understand. Who's Careé? And how's it good?"  
  
"Careé is my sister. She'll let us swap around. Tené you're going from the kitchen to the Hall tonight aren't you?" he nodded. "Well I saw that on personal serving is Maitel and we all know that he owes me a favour." She grinned evilly.  
  
"Tari you are evil. Do you know that?"  
  
"It's been mentioned. It wasn't my fault I caught him he shouldn't of been doing it. He'll swap with you and change the names for us. I'll speak to Careé and everything will be sorted. Then Tené can tell us if it's true."  
  
"Tené, come sit quickly!" It was dark now and the only light in the room was coming from the heavily spaced torches round the walls and a small lamp on each table. It created an elusive mood.  
  
The same group of people were sitting at the same table once again waiting for one of them to arrive. He had arrived at last.  
  
"It is her. When she spoke tae me it was using her voice. She was also wearing a dress!"  
  
"What colour was it?"  
  
"A pale purple."  
  
"Lavender. It would go with her eyes wouldn't it?" The woman had turned towards another woman at the table.  
  
"It would look nice on her I think. She might have been wearing a darker colour that would go too." The men looked at the two women in astonishment. The two of the women were the Palace gossips though, so what do you expect? They knew almost everything that goes on in the Palace. 


	25. 25

Sorry for confusing people but, I'm going to try and write better so that people aren't. It's just me not making things very clear but I'm deliberately leaving things open and blank because they are going to be picked up later in the story so there is a reason. Also I don't really like this fic now, I'm thinking that once I finish it I might go back and edit it a lot so it will fit in with the next parts of the story. This is only the first part, I have a lot of ideas for fics and I decided I was going to combine them all.  
  
I'm concentrating at the moment on a later part of the story because I have ideas and I want to get them written down so I don't forget them and also I think it's easier to write for the later parts. I've written quite a lot for later parts so I can go and edit them all so they fit in better and for events to happen later on. they have things that lead to them near the beginning.  
  
  
  
  
  
The soft knock at the door brought her out of her reverie of reading. Alanna had been lounging on the window seat reading a book about lady knights. She had laughed when she had found the present lying on her desk. It had been her first laugh in over a week. Thom had left it for her since she wouldn't see anyone.  
  
The sun had been shining across the clear blue sky catching the snowflakes where they had fallen the night before. The window overlooked part of the forest and the River Olorun.  
  
The person at the door knocked again. She hadn't been expecting anyone, well she knew people would come and try and see her. Cautiously she stood laying the book down on the velvet-cushioned bench. It was just then that she noticed the small group of children playing in snow. They looked to be in the midst of a very long snowball fight, laughing away, oblivious to the cold. She shivered and pulled the shawl further up her shoulders closer to her.  
  
The person knocked again.  
  
She turned and looked at the door.  
  
You've got to see them sometime.  
  
I know just not now, she argued with herself.  
  
Now is just as good a time as any. You can't go away without speaking to them.  
  
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she crossed the room towards the door. Her petite slippers tap, tapping on the stone floor. Taking another deep breath she opened the door quickly, surprising the person on the other side. They were in the process of going to knock again on the door. It was one of the last people she wanted to see, not yet, not now.  
  
"'Lanna can I come in please?" She turned her head away from his gaze, slowly turning and walking back to her seat leaving Jonathan to close the door when he entered. He did. She had sat back down in the alcove she had vacated, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugged them. She looked down to where the children were playing; they were still there, throwing snowballs. She wished life could be as simple as that.  
  
"Long time no see," he remarked nervously after some time. After a long period of silence he spoke again, "Are you not going to say anything?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why? The only people you've spoken to have been Baird and Coram. And that was to plan to go away!"  
  
"Well how can I stay here!" she turned round towards him so quickly it shocked him. Now that he got a good look at her, she was not the woman he had grown to love. She had shadows under her eyes and in them, she had lost weight, her face was thinner now, and pale. Her freckles stood out on her pale skin more than they usually did. But he still loved her.  
  
"By not going!" She stood angrily and walked towards him.  
  
"Everyone is gossiping about me! I'm the scandal at Court! It just came out who I really am in the worst possible way! I am the first female knight in centuries! I lied to everyone! And let's not leave the best till last but I've just killed the King's nephew!"  
  
"I understand that you've always wanted to leave after getting knighted but things are different now. There are reasons to stay. It wasn't that long ago where you said you didn't want to leave anymore."  
  
"You're right things are different now, but what reasons are there for me stay?" She threw her arms out in emphasise but had to abandon that pose when her shawl started to fall.  
  
"Me."  
  
"But is that enough? I saw the way you looked at me. The way my family looked at me! The way my friends looked at me! The way everyone looked at me!" she was shouting at full volume now, the tears freely running.  
  
He reached out for her and pulled her to him. She tried to pull out of his hold but he knew her, she needed someone. She stopped trying to fight him and the trembling and sobbing took over.  
  
"Shh, it's ok, I'm here," he stroked her hair hoping that somehow he was helping. Finally understanding what had been keeping her from them for so long. "I love you and nothing could ever stop me," his voice gently soothing. She clutched him closer to her unable to say anything.  
  
  
  
Is that better people? Yes, Alanna is pregnant still trying to work out how, not how in the obvious sense, but how as in shouldn't her charm be working? The thought is coming it's halfway to being complete the how. I just need to think of an ending to the series because it will need to tie in with the how and you probably won't find out until towards the very end which might be over a year. I have lots of ideas for this series. I'm trying to think up funny situations for it. 


	26. almost gone

Well here I am, updating finally. Those two English essays still aren't done; I have a music exam this week, a test on Monday and I've been ill for weeks. Here's one of the last few chapters. I think one more will do, so please, please review; I want to get to 300 before I finish this and work on the sequels.  
  
  
  
He had been sitting in a tavern pretending to be minding his own business when he was paying attention to everything and nothing. It was now when he first heard of her, the Lioness.  
  
".Killed the Duke of Conté. nephew. my brother was there. fight to the death." Liam tried to get a better position for eves dropping, moving slightly in his chair. ".Her shirt cut right down the middle.everyone saw he was actually a woman. A female knight after all this time.I heard she is beautiful.women can't be knights, 'tis not natural.I heard she has violet eyes the colour of a rainbow, copper hair like a fire and a temper to match.everyone is calling her th' Lioness."  
  
So there's a female knight now, he thought. And beautiful to boot. She seems like a fiery little thing, I should meet her. If only to see the person who killed the Duke. That was a long time coming. He got what he deserved. He thought resolutely.  
  
"But the best bit is. her and the Prince. lived together for four years.something must of happened with th' two of them."  
  
This is just getting more and more interesting, he thought. He called for the maid to settle his bill; he was leaving in the morning, for Corus.  
  
  
  
"How are you lass?"  
  
"I'm alright. Thanks Coram, for everything." She gave her first real smile in days. "Have a seat." He looked at the large table, cluttered with maps and books. He looked at the title of the nearest one, it was about lady knights. "Lady knights?" he asked looking up at her.  
  
She smiled sheepishly, "Everyone thinks it's a good present for me now. I have about 4 copies now. One here, here, here, here, no wait 5, there's one here." She pointed at various books on the table. He laughed.  
  
"I'm going t' wait until I find one wit' you in it. Have you decided when we leave yet?"  
  
"A week today. I've decided we're going south. I want to see the Bazhir and be warm; it's too cold in Corus at the moment. Look at all the snow!" He laughed.  
  
"Imagine, a girl frae a northern fief not liking snow."  
  
"I didn't say I didn't like snow I just said I don't like the cold." She humped, crossing her arms.  
  
"Have you told any of them yet?"  
  
"No," she sighed leaning back onto her chair. "I don't know how to tell them that I'm going. They know I'm going, just not when."  
  
"You need to tell them eventually. You can't just go on the day 'by the way I'm leaving now. Bye.'"  
  
"Why not? Don't worry I'm only joking."  
  
"Glad to see you're better. I know what you're like. It's going to take you awhile to get round to telling everyone, so you better start now."  
  
"It's just I'm afraid they might persuade me to stay."  
  
"Do you want them to?"  
  
"No, I need to leave."  
  
"Then they won't be able to talk you out of this." Suddenly she got up and hugged Coram. "Hey, what was that for?"  
  
"Where would I be without you? I wouldn't have got this far without you, I wouldn't even be here!"  
  
"Come here," he pulled her into a bear hug.  
  
"You're a big softie, you know?" she laughed.  
  
"I know, don't tell."  
  
  
  
Later that day.  
  
Knock, knock.  
  
"Come in," Jonathan didn't even bother looking up as he read over documents from his father's council. He heard the soft click of the door and looked up. "'Lanna!" smiling, he jumped up and moved to her. He took her hand and kissed it, staring intently into her eyes, other arm resting at her side.  
  
"What's wrong? Are you ok? Come and sit down," he led her to the chair he had vacated and knelt infront of her still clutching her hand.  
  
"I'm fine, honestly I am."  
  
"I know you, there's something though." She met his eyes. "You're leaving," he murmured. He stood up and turned away from her. She stood, smoothing out her sapphire blue skirts, she put her hand on his arm. She turned him towards her.  
  
"Hopefully not for long. The winter at the least." He met her gaze.  
  
"When?"  
  
"A week today."  
  
"I don't want you to go."  
  
"I know, but I have to go. You can't talk me out of leaving." She looked away before saying so softly that he almost didn't hear, "Come with me?"  
  
"You know I can't, just as much as you can't stay. You're more free than I'll ever be." He was looking at his hand trace a pattern on her palm. Gently she turned his head, her slight hand under his chin.  
  
"I'm not as free as you think I am, I just appear to be. But I'm more free than I would have been. I'll still come back to you. Me going away, isn't going to change how much I care, love, you."  
  
He moved his hand back to her side, his hand gently stroking her cheek. Tears glistened in her eyes. She never thought she'd feel this way about anyone, yet here she was breaking almost every promise she had set herself, apart from having children. Maybe, one day, she realised. She looked down away from his gaze, he gently turned her head again and swiftly he kissed her again and again. It was exactly like that night not so long ago in the gardens. Except this time when he unlaced her bodice, she didn't stop him.  
  
He pulled away from her for a moment to breathe, "I love you." It was Alanna who started the kiss and it was she who broke it.  
  
"I love you." He clutched her tighter to him. The two of them now kissing with a more frenzied passion than before, if that was even possible. 


	27. the end or a start

"George I'm leaving."  
  
"What! Why? When?" Alanna and George were sitting in his rooms in front of the friendly blaze in the hearth.  
  
Lifting her goblet of mulled wine she waited before saying "I want away from Corus. It's just so confining and I have a feeling it may send crazy. So that's why I'm leaving on the 22nd."  
  
"Tuesday!" Placing the goblet on the table and leaning forward she grasped one of his hands in her own. Making him look her in the eye. She had climbed into his rooms just as he had shown Raoul, Gary, Jon and herself. The reason she didn't wear a dress.  
  
She always had liked George's room. It had personality and plenty of memories: the late nights spent street fighting; the long conversations they had on anything; reading letters from Thom; being taught how to beat Ralon; no lying.  
  
"Where're you going?"  
  
"South, somewhere. It's cold here, no snow there. I feel like going through the desert."  
  
"Not all the tribes are loyal to Roald."  
  
"I know. I'm not just any knight you know?" she smiled teasingly.  
  
"I know, I know o' Burning Brightly." Causing Alanna to laugh warmly.  
  
"I'll be fine. Coram's coming with me."  
  
"And that's meant to stop my nerves?"  
  
"Yes, because I will be fine. I can take care of myself, it's just I get some help sometimes."  
  
"Sometimes?" She aimed the daggers of her eyes at him.  
  
"Shut-up and drink up. I have to sneak back soon."  
  
"Sneak back? That one of the reasons you're going?"  
  
"Yes, I hate everyone's' eyes being on me. You'll have heard the rumours?" he inclined his head. "I don't like everyone talking. Especially about MY personal life."  
  
"But it's about Jon, the Crown Prince, then it's the countries business. The country owns him Alanna, he can't change that, and if he tries then it is civil war. He can't make choices like other people, he wants to think he can, but he can't and that makes him on his own. No one else goes through that here, he won't ever have a private life, and he will and always has been under the Court's scrutiny."  
  
"It's hard thinking of him like that. At the moment he doesn't want to be a Prince."  
  
"And why should he? Look what he has to put up with. Could you put up with that?" The twinkling in his eyes was now serious, speaking countless words. She looked away. He knew her answer to that question and so did she, except she wasn't ready to admit that out loud, because as soon as that happened then it was over. Jon and she would have no future. Perhaps she had always known that. It was a secret then, now people could speculate, they always will.  
  
"I have to go, Coram's coming to stand over me and watch me eat." He laughed.  
  
"That is because you are too thin. You'll come and see me again before you go?"  
  
"Of course I will," she had stood up and was putting on her cloak and gloves. She grasped his hand and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Bye." He stood for several moments watching her retreating back.  
  
  
  
"I'm going to miss you. How else are we going to be able to put up with Jon?" she laughed while being grabbed into a big bear hug.  
  
"Thanks for that Raoul." When he finally released her.  
  
"Come home soon."  
  
"Look after them all, 'specially this one," she indicated Gary by a smile.  
  
"Hey!" He leaned down and hugged her tightly whispering in her ear, "take care and don't get yourself killed.  
  
"I won't," she pulled away. "You sound like the cat." Faithful looked up from his perch on Moonlight and meowed, "What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Plenty of things."  
  
Raoul!" Gary jerked his head towards their two horses. Raoul frowned and then when it dawned on him what Gary meant. "Look after her Coram!" Before following him over to the horses.  
  
"I will that. Gods know she needs it." Alanna turned and glared at the older man. He turned away quickly looking at the gate. She turned back towards the two men who were left: George and Jon.  
  
"I won't be gone for forever you know."  
  
"We know," George told her smiling sadly.  
  
"Or you'll send people looking for me?"  
  
"Something like that. Remember the thieves' sign I taught you and use it if there's trouble." Alanna reached over and hugged him, her eyes stinging.  
  
"I'm going to miss you old friend," she whispered.  
  
"More reason for you to return, go think through what you need to. Go with my love." He pulled away and caught up with Gary and Raoul.  
  
"It's just us again Lady Knight, you, me and Faithful." He added under the watchful eye of Faithful. He was sitting up on Moonlight's back waiting impatiently for them to ride off. Swiftly he grabbed her into a hug. He held her for a long time.  
  
"I'll come back. How could I stay away?" He pulled away from her enough to kiss her fiercely. She moved over towards Moonlight her hand still lightly in his; she dropped it to mount up.  
  
He looked into her eyes, "When you come back this will all be over."  
  
"Will it?"  
  
"Yes, and no one will be happier to see you than I." Then louder, "Keep her safe Coram Smythesson." He smiled at the surprised man by the City Gates.  
  
"Here, I was thinking the best thing about riding with a knight was that she would be taking care of me!"  
  
Alanna turned back at the gate to exchange one last look with her prince before riding out onto the Great Road South. The road was clear of the ice and snow that ran along the side of the road. She was riding out onto the adventure she had been waiting for all her life, and she wasn't alone: she had Coram, Faithful and good horse.  
  
She looked back once more but already the men were obscured. With a sigh, she cried, "C'mon Coram." Galloping past his astonished then long- suffering face before complying with his mistress who was now quite far ahead of him. With a sigh he kicked his horse and lead the packhorse into a gallop to catch up. Alanna had stopped to let him catch up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So that was the last chapter to this part of the series. Sorry it took so long to get up, but well time goes in so quickly and I had a small problem called writer's block. Anyway the good thing with that was that I figured out how the whole series is going to go, so instead of rumbling along with no real plan I know where I want the fics to head.  
  
Now to answer some common questions and give out some information: this fic is the prequel to Sophia which I might change the name for, these two fics are the prequels to the main part of the series which is about Sophia from the age of 18 I think; the problem is that everyone is coming up with similar story plots; the good thing is I have about I think 6 parts from the age of 18 penned then about 12 after about 5 years; this being the last part I'll be able to focus more on Sophia then when that's finished, which will be when it reaches the end of Lioness Rampant I can concentrate on the rest of the series which still needs a name, I need to come up with the little poem where I will get that from; if I get bugged enough about it then I will get parts out quicker. I'm warning everyone now I have exams coming up which I need to start revising for.  
  
Trust me to pick all three sciences where we've already filled a jotter with just writing. Also I'm off a lot and have had problems this term so I haven't really been taking a lot in and have been pulled out of classes a lot. I've been winging the tests because with my year the classes all sit the tests at different times so everyone knows by midway through the week what they have to know for general/credit, my case when I have the subjects I know what I need to learn for the credit where if you pass that you can drop the general marks. 


End file.
